title: Assessment of immediate pain relief with laser treatment in recurrent aphthous stomatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare immediate pain relief, healing time between minor recurrent aphthous ulcers treated with a single session of carbon dioxide (CO2) laser and a placebo.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective clinical study was performed on 25 patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis. Pretreatment pain levels were recorded using a numerical rating scale. Ulcers were randomized to either receive treatment or placebo. Pain levels were assessed immediately after treatment and after 24 h. Healing was assessed on days 3 and 4, and once every 2 days thereafter for 2 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean pain scores in the laser group were significantly reduced immediately after treatment (0.68 ± 0.6) compared with pretreatment (8.48 ± 0.71; P < .001). In contrast, the placebo group showed little difference in pain scores between pretreatment (8.08 ± 0.70) and immediately after treatment (7.96 ± 0.84). In the laser group, significant improvements in healing times were observed (4.08 ± 0.81 vs. 7.84 ± 0.90 days; P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CO2 laser therapy in recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) provides immediate pain relief sustained over 24 h, along with accelerated healing time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, The Oxford Dental College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. drsheshaprasad@gmail.com
authors.forename: Shesha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prasad R
authors.forename: Anuradha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010919:Placebos; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013281:Stomatitis, Aphthous / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000528:radiation effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos