As per the findings of a study carried out by L M Barbosa et al., LLLT may effectively reduce oedema, pain and neurosensory disorders following orthognathic surgery. This study, carried out in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, aimed to explore the analgesic efficacy of LLLT in immediate postoperative orthognathic surgery.

In this systematic review, databases like Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science were extensively explored for the relevant randomized clinical trials (RCTs). In total, 15 RCTs were selected after assessing eligibility. Within the same publication, none of the studies stated an assessment of all of the clinical outcomes. Nevertheless, it was possible to explore the influence of LLLT in minimizing pain post-orthognathic surgery. In 3 studies assessing this endpoint, a positive effect was noted. Of 4 studies that determined oedema, 2 reported a positive effect.

Of 11 studies that assessed neurosensory disorders of the inferior alveolar nerve, all of them reported a positive impact, at least in 1 of the sensory assessment tests. Due to the heterogeneity across studies, a meta-analysis was not feasible. The usage of LLLT, a minimally invasive intervention, merits attention in orthognathic surgery, concluded the study authors.