Clinical assessment of the therapeutic effect of low-level laser therapy on chronic recurrent aphthous stomatitis

A Novel Therapeutic Approach of 980 nm Photobiomodulation Delivered with Flattop Beam Profile in Management of Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis in Paediatrics and Adolescents-A Case Series with 3-Month Follow-Up

Background/Objectives: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is one of the most common oral mucosal lesions and a very debilitating lesion, especially in paediatric and adolescent patients. The current pharmacotherapy offers a pain relief but not without side effects, and therefore photobiomodulation (PBM) can be an alternative therapy. To the authors' best knowledge, no published study has explored the efficacy of λ 980 nm laser PBM in the management of all RAS subtypes in paediatric and adolescent patients, and therefore, this prospective observational clinical study was conducted to bridge this gap by evaluating λ 980 nm laser PBM efficacy in symptomatic RAS management in paediatric and adolescent patients. The objectives were to evaluate (1) pain intensity alleviation; (2) wound healing rate; (3) wound size closure; (4) a complete resolution; (5) evidence of recurrence; and (6) patients' treatment satisfaction. Methods: The study's variables were assessed at the following timepoints: T0: pre-treatment; T1: immediately after first PBM session; T2: 5 hours (h) post first PBM session (via telephone call); T3: immediately after second PBM session (three days post first PBM session); T4: three-day follow-up (after complete PBM treatments); T5: two-week follow-up; and T6: three-month follow-up. The following PBM dosimetry and treatment protocols were employed: λ 980 nm; 300 mW; 60 s; 18 J; CW; flattop beam profile of 1 cm2 spot size; 18 J/cm2; and twice-a-week irradiation (72 h interval). Results: At T1, significant immediate pain intensity relief was reported. 33.33% recorded "4" and 66.67% reported "5" on the quantitative numeric pain intensity scale (NPIS), and this continued to improve significantly (83.33%) at T2. All the subjects reported "0" on the NPIS at T3, T4, T5 and T6. There was a significant reduction in the lesion surface area (>50% complete healing) at T3 compared to T0. Complete healing (100%) with no evidence of scarring and lesion recurrence observed at T4, T5 and T6. Very good patients' satisfaction was reported at all timepoints. Conclusions: This is the first report demonstrating λ980 nm efficacy in all RAS subtype management in paediatric and adolescent patients with a 3-month follow-up, whereby its PBM dosimetry and treatment protocols were effective from scientific and practical standpoints, and hence multicentre RCTs with large data are warranted to validate its reproducibility and to enrich the knowledge of PBM application in all RAS subtypes.

Healing of Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis by Non-Thermal Plasma: Pilot Study

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is a common disease in the oral cavity characterized by recurrent ulcers (RU). Usually, these cause acute pain without definitive treatment. The present study determines the efficacy of non-thermal plasma (NTP) for treating RU. NTP is applied to the patient's RU using a radiofrequency generator connected to a point reactor. The power density applied to the ulcer is 0.50 W/cm², less than 4 W/cm², which is the maximum value without biological risk. Each patient received two treatments of three minutes each and spaced 60 min apart at a distance of 5 mm from the RU. From a sample of 30 ulcers in patients treated for RU with an average age of 37 years, they stated that the pain decreased considerably and without the need for ingestion of analgesics and antibiotics. Regeneration took place in an average of three days. The NTP proved to be an excellent therapeutic alternative for the treatment of RU since it has a rapid effect of reducing pain and inflammation, as well as adequate tissue regeneration.

Minor Recurrent Aphthous Ulcer Management with Hyaluronic Acid Gel in an Italian Cohort: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial

Background. Recurrent aphthous ulcer is a common mucosal disease and encompasses diverse interventions for its management of symptoms like pain and discomfort. Since new therapies keep evolving with better outcomes as compared to traditional interventions, one such therapy using hyaluronic acid has been recently explored using clinical studies based on advances in dental therapeutics. Therefore, we designed this clinical study which is double blinded and randomized using minor recurrent aphthous cases. Objective. To evaluate the efficacy of hyaluronic acid topical oral gel in the treatment of minor RAS ulcers, with regard to pain relief and reduction in ulcer size. Design. A double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial was designed to conduct an experimental research at IRCCS Fondazione Ca’ Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan. The participants were recruited from the unit of oral maxillofacial surgery and randomly assigned to test (hyaluronic acid gel) and control groups (placebo gel). 1 : 1 computer-generated random sequence was prepared, and opaque closed envelopes were used for allocation concealment. Participants and clinical investigators were blinded. The outcome measures included ulcer size (mm) and the visual analogue scale for pain and healing as a secondary outcome measure (efficacy index). Results. The mean baseline score for ulcer size for the test group was $1.85\pm 1$ and the placebo group was $1.85\pm 1.2$ . At day 7, the test group was $1\pm 1.5$ and the placebo group was $2\pm 1.5$ ( $p<0.001$ ). There was significant reduction in ulcer size as compared to the placebo group. In addition, there was significant improvement in pain levels ( $p<0.01$ ) in the test group as compared to the control group. Conclusion. In conclusion, there was significant decrease in the size of the ulcer in the test group as compared to the placebo group. Hyaluronic acid seems to have promising effects on the ulcer size and pain relief associated with minor aphthous ulcers. Trial Registration. The protocol of this clinical trial was registered with the Clinical Trial Registry of ISRCTN with study ID ISRCTN16509838, registered 30 June 2020. It can be accessed on this URL: 10.1186/ISRCTN16509838

Comparative Evaluation of Low-Level Laser Therapy and Topical Triamcinolone Acetonide 0.1% in Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis Subjects

Background

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), sometimes known as canker sores, is an infection of the oral mucous membranes caused by an inflammatory process. Triamcinolone and low-level laser therapy for recurrent aphthous ulcers were studied in this research, which evaluated their clinical efficacy.

Methodology

Among 60 subjects, 54 subjects fulfilled the inclusion criteria with an age range between 16 and 46 years. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups, the control group who received four times daily topical application of triamcinolone acetonide 0.1% and the test group who underwent a single application of low-level laser therapy on three alternate days. Evaluations were done on day 1, day 3, day 5, and day 10. Data obtained on oral-health-related quality of life (OHR-QoL) using the OHR-QoL questionnaire were used as baseline data. Clinical parameters like pain score were assessed using a visual analog scale, ulcer size using UNC-15 probe, and erythema and healing score were evaluated using erythema and healing scale.

Result

According to the OHR-QoL data, there was no statistically significant difference in the quality of life of test and control subjects. We found that pain and ulcer size reduced considerably (p=0.007) from the first day to the third day (p=0.000), and then dropped significantly again (p=0.000) on days 3-10 (p=0.000). On days 3 and 5, the test group showed significant reductions in pain and erythema (p=0.13), as well as an improvement in ulcer healing when compared to the control group. On days 3 and 5, the size of the ulcers decreased similarly in the control and test groups. On the 10th day, patients in both groups had less discomfort, erythema, and ulcer size, as well as improved healing of the ulcer.

Conclusion

Pain and erythema reduction and ulcer healing improvement were significantly higher in subjects in the test group as compared to those in the control group by day 3. The reduction in ulcer size was comparable to the control group on days 3 and 5, while the complete reduction in ulcer size was seen in both groups by day 10.

Combination of Levamisole with Prednisone in Treating Recurrent Major Aphthous Ulcer in a Young Boy: A Case Report

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is an oral condition characterized by painful oral ulcerations. While the clinical features of this disease are easily defined, the etiology remains unclear. Thus, existing treatments are still unsatisfactory in reducing the severity, healing, and recurrence rate; however, there is no permanent and definitive treatment. Effective treatment for aphthous stomatitis is not available, and those treatments available mainly focus on suppressing its symptoms. We are reporting a case of a 17-year-old boy who presented with a 3-year history of multiple recurrent major ulcers in the oral cavity. Levamisole with steroids has been used in many clinical trials to treat aphthous ulcers, showing an improvement in pain, discomfort, healing time, and reduction in the number of ulcers. The same method was used to treat our patient, who showed promising results, with no recurrence for one year. Levamisole is a safe, easily tolerable and promising drug for the treatment of RAS.

Low-Level Laser Therapy and Topical Medications for Treating Aphthous Ulcers: A Systematic Review

Objective

The study compares low-level laser therapy with topical medications for treating aphthous ulcers.

Methods

A search of articles in this systematic review was completed in six databases. Treatment and comparative groups comprised of patients subjected to laser therapy and topical medications, respectively. Two different treatment outcomes were considered; pain and size of the lesion. Risk of bias was assessed using the Revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials.

Results

From 109 articles, five randomized control trials fulfilled the selection criteria. The overall sample comprised of 98 males and 232 females, with a mean age of 32.4 years. The laser therapies in each included study had different active media and varying wavelengths. Topical medication used in the comparative group were triamcinolone acetonide, amlexanox, granofurin, and solcoseryl. Findings showed that patients who reported lower pain and decreased aphthous ulcer lesions were more in the laser therapy group than in the topical medication group.

Conclusion

Low-level laser therapy was better in treating aphthous ulcer lesions in comparison to topical medications, and all laser wavelengths in the included reports were seen to be effective. However, the results should be interpreted with caution, because no study demonstrated low-risk of bias in all the assessed domains.

Photobiomodulation: systematic review and meta-analysis of the most used parameters in the resolution diabetic foot ulcers

The most common photobiomodulation parameters used to aid in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers were investigated in this paper. The databases MEDLINE, LILACS, MEDCARIB, PAHO-IRIS, and WHOLIS were searched with the following descriptors: diabetic foot ulcers AND low-level laser therapy OR low-level therapy AND wound healing; this search was conducted from January of 2014 to December of 2019. Inclusion criteria were randomized clinical trials on humans. Exclusion criteria were systematic reviews, literature reviews, studies with animals, studies lacking photobiomodulation parameters, and studies with non-diabetic individuals. The Jadad scale was used in order to analyze the methodological quality of the matching papers. There were seventeen studies found on PubMed and four on LILACS. Among these, seven were selected, according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Two out of the seven matching studies obtained a high score, and five obtained a low score, on the Jadad scale. The studies settled on the use of 600-nm and 800-nm wavelength spectrum. Most of the analyzed papers on photobiomodulation on diabetic foot ulcers did not describe the detailed parameters in their methodology. None of the studies featured the maximum score with regard to the Jadad scale for methodological quality. The relations of energy versus wavelength and power versus wavelength were divergent among the parameters on the papers. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the parameters for an optimized power value in order to improve the results of the treatment.

Effect of different treatments on recurrent aphthous stomatitis: laser versus medication

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is a common disease with ulcers in oral cavity which may trigger chewing, speaking, and swallowing difficulties to patients. Treatment of RAS is primarily aimed at pain relief and the promotion of wound healing. However, few agents have been found to have definite effect in the management of RAS and most of the medicinal products may cause adverse reactions or other disadvantages, which makes their clinical usage questionable. The purpose of this randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) was to assess the clinical effect of diode laser and traditional medication treatment on RAS. In this study, 56 patients were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 28). Laser group was treated using diode laser (810 nm, 1.0 W, CW, irradiation time 20 s for 3 applications) once daily for continuous 3 days. Medication group was treated with triamcinolone acetonide 0.1% three times a day until the lesion was healed. Spontaneous and functional pain level on the third day of treatment was significantly less in the laser group. Significant difference was observed with respect to healing time; however, the order of difference is small albeit of statistical significance. Diode laser with the chosen parameters had better effects on pain relief and no distinct advantage on wound healing comparing with medication. Trial registration number: ChiCTR2000030298; date of registration: 26 February 2020 (retrospectively registered).

Low-level laser therapy in the treatment of recurrent aphthous stomatitis and oral lichen planus: a literature review

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) and oral lichen planus (OLP) present inflammatory, recurrent diseases of the oral mucosa with not fully understood aetiology. Despite numerous attempts to discover an effective treatment for RAS and OLP, the current main treatment strategies are largely confined to the reduction of symptoms. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is of interest as a novel treatment modality. The aim of the paper was to discuss the mechanism of action and the biological effects of LLLT and to critically review and summarize recent clinical reports on the management of RAS and OLP. Most of the studies demonstrated the beneficial effect of LLLT in accelerating the healing process and pain reduction. However, the results should be interpreted with caution due to the limited number of studies available and empirical design using various irradiation parameters.

Photobiomodulation therapy for the management of recurrent aphthous stomatitis in children: clinical effectiveness and parental satisfaction

Background

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) in the treatment of minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis (MiRAS) in children, in terms of pain relief, lesion size reduction and the parental satisfaction of the therapy.

Material and Methods

This randomized controlled study was carried out on 60 children with clinical diagnosis of MiRAS. Patients were randomized into two groups: group A receiving laser therapy and group B receiving sham therapy (placebo). Laser therapy (diode laser, λ: 645 nm) was administered on day 1 (T0) for three consecutive days. Patients were evaluated also on day 4 (T1), on day 7 (T2) and on day 10 (T3). Oral aphthous lesions size was assessed through a periodontal probe to measure the diameter length (mm); pain was evaluated through the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS); parental satisfaction was assessed through a questionnaire.

Results

The difference in the reduction of ulcers diameters between the two groups resulted statistically significant at T1 and at T2 (p<0.05). A statistically significant difference in pain reduction between two groups was found at T1 (p<0.05). No statistically significant difference between the two groups of parents was found as concerns the parental acceptance of the procedure and the discomfort for the need of multiple appointments.

Conclusions

PBMT is to be considered effective in the treatment of MiRAS in children and well- accepted by the parents of the children themselves.

Key words:Ulcers, children, lasers

Clinical Evaluation of 660 nm Diode Laser Therapy on the Pain, Size and Functional Disorders of Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis

BACKGROUND:

Minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis (MiRAS) is one of the most common, recurrent, and painful mucosal pathological condition. It is characterised by round or shallow oval ulcers, less than 10 mm in diameter, surrounded by a thin erythematous halo. It involves non-keratinized mucosa such as the labial and buccal mucosa, the ventral surface or borders of the tongue and the floor of the mouth, but it is uncommon to occur on the keratinised mucosa. It heals spontaneously within 10-14 days without scarring. There is no curative remedy to prevent its recurrence; also, available modalities only reduce the symptoms and severity of the lesion.

AIM:

Since these lesions may be extremely painful, we decided to estimate the pain-relieving and healing properties of low energy level laser therapy using diode laser 660 nm on MiRAS.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

Twenty healthy patients suffering from minor aphthous ulcers were randomly selected from the Out-Patient Clinic of Oral Medicine Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University. They were equally divided into two groups, study group who received 660 nm diode laser irradiation while the control group received placebo (sodium bicarbonate rinse). The visual analogue scale, size reduction, effectiveness indices and functional disorders were compared between the groups.

RESULTS:

Both groups presented a statistically significant difference from baseline to follow up periods. But, diode laser 660 nm treatment showed more remarkable improvements in reduction of healing time, pain and lesion size.

CONCLUSION:

We concluded that diode laser 660 nm should be further considered as an effective alternative therapeutic regimen to patients who suffer from recurrent aphthous stomatitis.

Recurrent aphthous ulceration: a review of potential causes and novel treatments

Purpose of article: This review examines studies published between May 2012 and 2017 with a specific interest in potential recurrent aphthous ulceration (RAU) etiologies and treatment modalities/efficacy, including topical treatments, systemic regimens, vitamin repletion, and laser therapy, among others.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

PubMed MEDLINE and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched using various combinations of: 'aphthous', 'ulcer', and 'treatment'. The titles and abstracts from the initial literature search were appraised to identify articles for full review and reference sections from each article were searched manually for relevant publications. Both randomized controlled trials and observational reports were included in this review, as some treatment types have not been formally examined in randomized trials. Relevant studies were reviewed, compared, and summarized.

RESULTS

RAU can result from systemic disease and trauma, but recent studies have shown a variety of potential etiologies, ranging from vitamin deficiencies, oral microbiota derangements, hematological considerations, stress, genetic polymorphisms to oxidant-antioxidant imbalances, among others. Many modalities of therapy are available and have proven efficacious.

CONCLUSIONS

As the exact etiology of RAU is still unknown, therapy is based on symptomatic relief.

Effect of laser on pain relief and wound healing of recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a systematic review

The aim of this systematic review was to assess a potential benefit of laser use in the treatment of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS). The primary outcome variables were pain relief, duration of wound healing and reduction in episode frequency. A PICO approach was used as a search strategy in Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases. After scanning and excluding titles, abstracts and full texts, 11 studies (ten RCTs and one non-randomised controlled trial) were included. Study selection and data extraction was done by two observers. Study participants varied between 7-90 for the laser and 5-90 for the control groups. Laser treatment included Nd:YAG laser ablation, CO₂ laser applied through a transparent gel (non-ablative) and diode laser in a low-level laser treatment (LLLT) mode. Control groups had placebo, no therapy or topical corticosteroid treatment. Significant pain relief immediately after treatment was found in five out of six studies. Pain relief in the days following treatment was recorded in seven studies. The duration of RAS wound healing was also reduced in five studies. However, criteria of evaluation differed between the studies. The episode frequency was not evaluated as only one study addressed this outcome parameter, but did not discriminate between the study (LLLT) and control (corticosteroid) groups. Jadad scores (ranging from 0 to 5) for quality assessment of the included studies range between 0 and 2 (mean = 1.0) for studies analysing pain relief and between 0 and 3 (mean = 1.1) for studies evaluating wound healing. The use of lasers (CO₂ laser, Nd:YAG laser and diode laser) to relieve symptoms and promote healing of RAS is a therapeutic option. More studies for laser applications are necessary to demonstrate superiority over topical pharmaceutical treatment and to recommend a specific laser type, wavelength, power output and applied energy (ablative versus photobiomodulation).

The effect of LED on blood microcirculation during chronic wound healing in diabetic and non-diabetic patients-a prospective, double-blind randomized study

Chronic wounds, especially in diabetic patients, represent a challenging health issue. Since standard treatment protocols often do not provide satisfactory results, additional treatment methods-like phototherapy using low-level light therapy-are being investigated. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of phototherapy with light-emitting diodes on chronic wound treatment in diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Since a sufficient blood supply is mandatory for wound healing, the evaluation of microcirculation in the healthy skin at a wound's edge was the main outcome measure. Forty non-diabetic patients and 39 diabetics with lower limb chronic wounds who were referred to the University Medical Center Ljubljana between October 2012 and June 2014 were randomized to the treated and control groups. The treated group received phototherapy with LED 2.4 J/cm² (wavelengths 625, 660, 850 nm) three times a week for 8 weeks, and the control group received phototherapy with broadband 580-900 nm and power density 0.72 J/cm². Microcirculation was measured using laser Doppler. A significant increase in blood flow was noted in the treated group of diabetic and non-diabetic patients (p = 0.040 and p = 0.033), while there was no difference in the control groups. Additional Falanga wound bed score evaluation showed a significant improvement in both treated groups as compared to the control group. According to our results, phototherapy with LED was shown to be an effective additional treatment method for chronic wounds in diabetic and non-diabetic patients.

An evaluation of the efficacy of a topical gel with Triester Glycerol Oxide (TGO) in the treatment of minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis in a Turkish cohort: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Triester glycerol oxide gel (Protefix® Queisser Pharma, Germany) is a new topical agent that has the property of adherence to the oral mucosa by forming a lipid film which protects against mechanical trauma and may help to reduce oral tissue moisture loss and inflammation. The aim of this clinical trial was to determine the efficacy of a topical TGO gel and to also compare it with triamcinolone acetonide pomade in the treatment of minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial and 180 patients with the complaint of minor aphthous ulcers were enrolled in this study. The sociodemographic data and clinical characteristics of the ulcer were collected by questionnaire. Ulcer size and pain level measurements were performed and the efficacy indices for ulcer pain and size were calculated at day 0,2,4,6 by the same investigator.

RESULTS

Significant differences were not detected among the demographics and ulcer histories including age, gender, onset of ulcer, mean healing time, family RAS history and ulcer localization between three groups. The pain score in TGO group was found statistically lower at day 2,4, and 6. Efficacy index and improvement rate of TGO group, regarding pain score, was higher than the other two groups at day 2 and 4. The reduction in ulcer size was statistically higher in TGO group than the other two groups at day 4 and 6.

CONCLUSIONS

Topical application of TGO gel could decrease pain intensity, accelerate ulcer healing without any side effects, utilizing an easy appliable and accessible procedure. Therefore TGO gel could be a well-tolerated, safe, topical therapeutic agent in the clinical practice of RAS treatment.

Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis: A Review

Aphthous stomatitis is a painful and often recurrent inflammatory process of the oral mucosa that can appear secondary to various well-defined disease processes. Idiopathic recurrent aphthous stomatitis is referred to as recurrent aphthous stomatitis. The differential diagnosis for recurrent aphthous ulcerations is extensive and ranges from idiopathic benign causes to inherited fever syndromes, to connective tissue disease, or even inflammatory bowel diseases. A thorough history and review of systems can assist the clinician in determining whether it is related to a systemic inflammatory process or truly idiopathic. Management of aphthous stomatitis is challenging. For recurrent aphthous stomatitis or recalcitrant aphthous stomatitis from underlying disease, first-line treatment consists of topical medications with use of systemic medications as necessary. Herein, the authors discuss the differential diagnosis and treatment ladder of aphthous stomatitis as described in the literature.

Effectiveness of Laser Therapy in the Management of Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis: A Systematic Review

Objectives. Laser therapy is a promising new treatment for patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS). However, the clinical effect and security issue of laser therapy remain controversial. This systematic review was conducted to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and security of laser treatment in RAS patients. Methods. Five electronic databases were searched (MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, ScienceDirect, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) to identify all studies that were about randomized controlled clinical trials, involving the effect of laser therapy in RAS patients. Conclusion. Twenty-three studies were retained for full-text analysis after screening the titles and abstracts of potential articles, but only 10 studies satisfied the inclusion criteria after the full texts were reviewed. The included studies reported a comparison of the effectiveness between the laser treatment and placebo laser therapy (or conventional drug therapy) when managing the RAS patients. It can be concluded that laser therapy has the superiority in relieving ulcer pain and shortening healing time when compared with placebo group or medical treatment group. Although laser therapy is a promising effective treatment for RAS, high-quality clinical studies with large sample size must be further performed to confirm the effectiveness of this therapy.