Use of photobiomodulation (880nm) for anesthesia puncture pain reduction: a split-mouth case report.

The objective of this split-mouth case report is to evaluate the effect of photobiomodulation (880nm) on pain control during pterygomandibular puncture. A patient received anesthesia on both sides of the mouth in a randomized manner. On the right side, an 880 nm infrared laser was applied immediately before local anesthesia. On the left side, a sham laser was applied using the same technique. There was a 50% reduction in pain levels on the PBM-treated side compared to the PBM-sham side, as measured by the visual analog scale. Sensitivity tests revealed that anesthesia was more effective on the PBM side. There was no difference in blood pressure. This case report suggests that PBM (880 nm) before anesthesia may alleviate puncture pain associated with pterygomandibular anesthesia. While these findings are based on a single case report, they can serve as the initial stepping stone for further randomized clinical trials. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.