Impact of Nd:YAG Laser Photobiostimulation on Healing of Gingiva

November 7, 2025 updated by: Medical University of South Carolina

Impact of Nd: YAG Laser Photobiostimulation on Healing of Gingiva Following Tooth Extraction and Alveolar Ridge Preservation

The intervention in this study is to determine whether multiple applications of photobiostimulation with Nd-YAG laser improve wound healing following tooth extraction and alveolar ridge preservation. Investigators plan to assess the impact of laser treatment on wound healing by measuring salivary biomarkers, gingival wound size and surveying for the use of pain reduction and patient satisfaction. The intervention group will receive extraction and alveolar ridge preservation with Nd-YAG laser photobiostimulation on days 1, 3, and 7 following extraction and socket preservation, while the control group will receive the standard of care extraction and alveolar ridge preservation without the laser

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Photobiostimulation, also known as low-level laser therapy (LLLT) or phototherapy, utilizes a low-level laser to increase cell proliferation, enhance cell stimulation, and reduce gingival inflammation. It has been reported that photobiostimulation enhances chemical and metabolic changes and alters cellular behavior in the tissue by light absorption. Photobiostimulation as an adjunct treatment modality can accelerate the healing process, improve patient comfort and satisfaction following dental surgical procedures, and benefit patients with compromised healing capacity.

Alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) is a standard procedure to minimize alveolar bone and gingival soft tissue atrophy following tooth extraction and before dental implant placement. The healing of ARP is critical for the success of implant placement timely treatment. The ARP procedure is currently the standard practice for patients interested in dental implant treatment and involves bone grafting of the extracted socket. ARP techniques have been used for over 20 years to maintain a favorable soft and hard tissue morphology for dental implant-related restorations.

The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of Nd-YAG laser photobiostimulation on wound healing when combined with tooth extraction and alveolar ridge preservation procedures.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

39

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

  • United States
    • South Carolina
      • Charleston, South Carolina, United States, 29425
        • Recruiting
        • MUSC College of Dental Medicine, Graduate Periodontics Clinic
        • Contact:
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Participants who are ≥ 18 years old,
  • Patients who are scheduled for the treatment of tooth extraction and alveolar ridge preservation (ARP)
  • No contraindications for tooth extraction and alveolar ridge preservation based on electronic health records.
  • Participants who can express the level of pain
  • Participants who self-report "not pregnant"

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Untreated periodontal disease
  • Acute infection of the teeth
  • Use of antibiotics within the last three months.
  • Pregnant or lactating women
  • Use of bisphosphonates based on EHR
  • Alveolar bone defects occurred or were detected during tooth extraction

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control
Sham laser will be applied instead of the low-level laser.
Experimental: Intervention
Low-level lase therapy will be applied at tooth extraction sites.
Other: Low-level laser therapy

The low-level laser applications will be made on the same day as the standard of care treatment (day 1), and then day 3, and day 7 by a study team member who is trained in the use of the laser device.

The laser photobiostimulation will be applied using LightWalker® laser (FOTONA), with following settings, Nd:YAG laser 1064 nm, MSP modality (pulse duration), 0.5 W (power), 10 Hz (frequency), 1 min/ 1 cm2 spot using Genova handpiece from buccal, lingual, and occlusal aspects. The Genova handpiece will be placed 1 cm away from gingival tissue.

Participants and operators will wear glasses to protect their eyes from laser beam in all sessions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Inflammatory markers in saliva
Time Frame: From day of tooth extraction through day 7
The measurement of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory markers in saliva, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12 and TNF secreted during the early stages of wound healing at day 3 and day 7.
From day of tooth extraction through day 7
Wound size dimensional changes
Time Frame: From the day of tooth extraction to day 42
The comparison of dimensional changes in wound size between test and intervention groups. Digital gingival scans of the wound will be taken immediately after surgery and at days 3, 7, 14, and 42 for Aim 2.
From the day of tooth extraction to day 42
Post-operative pain
Time Frame: From post-operative day 3 to day 14
Recording of pain perception using a Visual Analog Scale at visits 3, 7, and 14 (maximum pain being 10 vs. no pain being 0), 2)
From post-operative day 3 to day 14

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Medical University of South Carolina

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Pinar Emecen-Huja, Medical University of South Carolina

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

November 5, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

April 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 15, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 23, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

July 31, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

November 12, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 7, 2025

Last Verified

November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Pro00139090

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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