Influence of Photobiomodulation on Early Marginal Bone Remodelling and Implant Stability Following Implant Placement

Abstract

Although dental implant treatment for the rehabilitation of missing teeth is a predictable treatment modality, the early healing period has been described as critical since a physiological decrease in stability and crestal bone remodeling are unavoidable and can jeopardize the results, which is why a non-invasive method such as photobiomodulation (PBM) has been proposed to modulate this healing period. This single blind, randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial investigated the effect of PBM on early marginal bone remodeling and implant stability after implant placement. A total of 40 patients who needed one posterior implant were randomly assigned to the PBM and sham groups (20 patients in each group). The PBM group received an 810 nm gallium-aluminium-arsenide (4 J per point, continuous mode, 100 mW) diode laser immediately after surgery and on days 3, 7 and 14. The implant stability quotient (ISQ) determined by resonance frequency analysis (RFA) was recorded at the baseline and at 4, 8 and 12 weeks and the MBL was measured on standardized periapical radiographs at baseline and at 12 weeks. ISQ values were similar across the groups at baseline, and the PBM group showed significantly higher ISQ scores at 4, 8 and 12 weeks, and did not experience the early stability decline seen in the sham group. PBM had significantly less mean MBL at 12 weeks compared to the sham group. In the settings that it was used, adjunctive PBM contributed to improved early implant stability and decrease in EMBL, which could help it to be used during the initial healing period within its limitations. Longer follow-up and larger multi-centre trials are warranted.