Analgesic outcomes of 650 nm versus 810 nm diode laser photobiomodulation after dental implant placement in a randomized controlled trial.

Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a promising non-pharmacological approach for managing postoperative pain after dental implant placement. Yet, comparative data on red (650 nm) and near-infrared (810 nm) diode lasers remain limited and inconclusive. This double-blind, randomized controlled trial evaluated the short-term analgesic efficacy of 650 nm and 810 nm PBM on postoperative pain, analgesic intake, and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) following single-implant placement in the posterior maxilla. Sixty patients were randomly assigned to receive PBM with 650 nm, PBM with 810 nm, or a sham control. The full treatment protocol involved a total of six laser therapy sessions (18 J total energy per site, three sessions per week for two weeks). However, for the primary outcome of acute pain evaluation, only the first two sessions were included in the analysis (immediately postoperatively and at 48 hours). Pain intensity (11-point Numeric Rating Scale) and analgesic use were recorded at 2, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours post-surgery. OHRQoL was assessed using the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire at baseline, one week, and after crown delivery, thereby encompassing the full six-session protocol. At 2 hours, both PBM groups reported significantly lower pain scores compared to the sham group (p < 0.05), with no severe pain observed in the PBM groups. The 650 nm group exhibited significantly reduced analgesic consumption at 2 and 6 hours (p < 0.05), indicating a superior early analgesic effect. Pain scores and medication use converged across groups after Day 1, with no significant differences observed by Day 2 and Day 3, indicating that the analgesic effect was transient and limited to the acute phase. While overall OHRQoL scores did not differ significantly, the 810 nm group showed improvement in the “physical disability” domain. These results suggest that PBM, particularly at 650 nm, may serve as an effective adjunct to improve early postoperative outcomes in minimally invasive implant procedures. Trial registration: The study is retrospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06988722 ; Identifier: NCT06988722, registered on 25/05/2025).