EFFECT OF LOW LEVEL LASER THERAPY ON RATE OF ORTHODONTIC TOOTH MOVEMENT

Gayatri Ganesh, Tulika Tripathi*, Priyank Rai and Anup Kanase

ABSTRACT

Background: Pain and long treatment duration are two of the majors concerns associated with fixed orthodontic treatment. Low level laser therapy (LLLT) as a non-surgical approach has been reported to challenge both the concerns. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of low level laser therapy on rate of orthodontic tooth movement during canine retraction and its subsequent association with gender and age. Methodology: A split mouth single blind interventional study was carried on 40 sites (18 patients) of both genders in the age group of 13 to 20 years requiring fixed orthodontic treatment with extraction of the first premolars in both or either arch. Segmental canine retraction was carried out using a nickel-titanium closed-coil spring. The laser side received low level laser application and simulations were given on the opposite side on days 0, 3,7,11,15,28,31,35,39,43 and 56 post commencement of canine retraction. Tooth movement was measured on study models RESULT: A difference in the rate of tooth movement was observed to be 0.02 mm/day between the two groups with the laser side showing faster movement. The association between age and rate of movement in the laser group was negative i.e. the amount of tooth movement decreases with age. CONCLUSION: Low level laser therapy is effective in accelerating orthodontic tooth movement thus reducing the treatment duration with no association with age.

Keywords: Low level laser therapy, Orthodontics, Tooth movement, Canine retraction, Coil springs.