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Table 4 Summary of data of the included studies on acute pain

From: Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in accelerating tooth movement, preventing relapse and managing acute pain during orthodontic treatment in humans: a systematic review

Study

Country

Subjects

(Laser/Placebo/Control)

Age (yrs), Gender (M/F)

Study design

Orthodontic treatment

Placebo/control group

Pain measurement

Results (laser group, LG, laser side, LS, control, C, placebo, P)

Type of laser

Wavelength (nm)

Power (mW)

Time per point/

time per laser-treatment

(second, s, minute, min)

Frequency of laser treatment (day, d, week, wk, month, mo)

Lim [20] (1995)

Singapore

39/39

21–24 y

Not reported

Double blinded placebo, RCT

(split mouth)

Elastomeric separators

Placebo

VAS

No difference in pain sensation

GaAsAl

830

30

15, 30, 60 s/

1 min 15 s–5 min

One session/d during 5 d

Harazaki [19] (1997)

Japan

20/20/44

11–34 y

27/57

Single blinded

RCT

Fixed appliance

Placebo and control

NRS (1–5)

Pain onset later in LG approx. 3 h

HeNe

632,8

6

30 s/

12–24 min

One

Harazaki [11] (1998)

Japan

20/20

20,1 y

11/23

Single blinded

CCT

Fixed appliance

Placebo

NRS (1–5)

LG pain reduction rate: 48.4 %

HeNe

832.8

6

30 s/

2–5 min

One, until pain ceased

Fujiyama [12] (2008)

Japan

60/60/30

19,22 y

18/42

Single blinded CCT (split mouth)

Elastomeric separators

Control

VAS

Lower VAS separators day 4. VAS: LS 36.1, C 60.1

CO2

Not reported

2000

30 s/

1 min

One

Tortamano [17] (2009)

Brazil

20/20/20

12–18 y

18/42

Double blind RCT

Fixed

appliance

Placebo and control

NRS (1–5)

Lower 1th day. LG: 1.95, Placebo: 1.7, C:2.05. ended earlier LG

GaAsAl

830

30

16 s/

32–37 min

30 s

One

Doshi-Mehta [7] (2012)

India

20/20

12–23 y

8/12

Single blinded RCT

(split mouth)

Upper, lower canine retraction

Placebo

Children’s VAS

Lower VAS day 3 and 30. Day 3: LG 0.8, C 3.2. Day 30: LG 1.5, C 2.4

AlGaAs

800

0,7

30 s/Unclear

Day 0, 3, 7, 14, every 15th d in 4.5 mo.

Kim [13] (2012)

Korea

28/30/30

22,7 y

23/65

Single blinded RCT

Elastomeric separators

Placebo and control

VAS

LG lower VAS up to day 1. Overall mean VAS: LG:19.7, C:35.64

AlGaInP

635

6

30 s/

28 min

2 times/d for 1 wk

Artés-Ribas [15] (2012)

Spain

20/20

26,4 y

6/14

Single blinded RCT (split mouth)

Elastomeric separators

Placebo

VAS

Overall mean VAS LG: 7.7, C:14.1

GaAlAs

830

100

20 s/

3 min 20 s

One

Domínguez [14] (2013)

Colombia

60/60

24,3 y

Not reported

Single blinded RCT (split mouth)

Fixed appliance

Placebo

VAS

Lower max pain on VAS.

LG: 3.3, C: 6.9

GaAlAs

830

100

22 s/44 s

One

Eslamían [16] (2013)

Iran

37/37

24,97 y

12/25

Single blinded RCT (split mouth)

Elastomeric separators

Placebo

VAS

Lower VAS 6 h, 24 h, 30 h, day 3. VAS: LG:0.86, PG:1.10

AlGaAs

810

100

20 s/

3 min 20 s

Two

Nóbrega [8] (2013)

Brazil

30/30

17,5 y

12/18

Double blinded RCT

Elastomeric separators

Placebo

VAS

LG Lower VAS

VAS: LG:0.42, PG:1.88

AlGaAS

830

40,6

25–50 s/

2 min 5 s

One

Abtahi [18] (2013)

Iran

29/29

12–22 y

24/5

Single blinded RCT (split mouth)

Elastomeric separators

Placebo

VAS

Lower VAS day 2

LG: 4.5, PG: 7.45

GaAs

904

200

7.5 s/30 s

One session/d,

5 d

Heravi [10] (2014)

Iran

20/20

22.1 y

3/17

Single blinded

CCT

(Split mouth)

Maxillary canine retraction

Control

No differences between groups after 56 days

GaAlAs

810

200

30 s/

7 min 30 s

Day 4, 7, 11, 15, 28 1th mo.. Day 32, 25, 39, 43, 56 2nd mo.