title: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis and pain management with low-level laser therapy: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to determine whether low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has an analgesic effect in patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS).
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized single-blinded placebo-controlled trial was conducted with LLLT (wavelength, 809 nm; power, 60 mW; pulse frequency, 1800 Hz; duration, 80 seconds per treatment; dose, 6.3 J/cm(2)) in 40 patients with RAS. The intervention group was treated with LLLT on 3 occasions, with a 1-day interval. The control group was treated similarly, without any laser power. Pain perception (visual analog scale [VAS] rating) and patients' experience of eating, drinking, and brushing teeth was registered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VAS rating decreased (day 0 until day 2) from 84.7 to 31.5 (LLLT) and from 81.7 to 76.1 (placebo) (P < .0001). LLLT also relieved the difficulty of drinking, eating, and brushing teeth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LLLT reduced the pain and the inconvenience of eating, drinking, and brushing teeth for patients with RAS, compared with placebo.
authors.affiliation: Public Dental Services Varberg, Varberg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Margit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albrektson
authors.affiliation: Public Dental Services Varberg, Varberg, Sweden. Electronic address: lennart.hedstrom@regionhalland.se.
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hedström
authors.affiliation: Research & Development Unit, County of Halland, Halmstad, Sweden.
authors.forename: Håkan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bergh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D008297:Male; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012008:Recurrence; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013281:Stomatitis, Aphthous / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D016896:Treatment Outcome