Colour Doppler Ultrasonographic Tissue Perfusion Analysis in Peri-Implant Mucosa with and Without Low-Level Laser Therapy: A Prospective Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial

Implant therapy has become the standard treatment for replacement of missing teeth. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) improves primary stability at the early stages of osseointegration by neoangiogenesis and new bone formation. Colour flow ultrasonography has ability to assess dynamic tissue perfusion and blood flow variations. While this feature of ultrasound is routinely employed in various medical fields, its intraoral application for the assessment of tissue perfusion at healthy dental implants during healing has never been explored. We tested the hypothesis that quantified tissue perfusion of power Doppler ultrasonography in healing peri-implant mucosa with and without adjunctive low-level laser therapy.

This study included 20 subjects with partially edentulous at mandibular first molar region, who were divide into group A (without low-level laser therapy) and group B (with low-level laser therapy at 650 nm). All the patients underwent surgical implant placement. In group B low-level laser therapy was done after 1 h, on the third, seventh and ninth day following implant placement. All the parameters like were recorded at baseline, and 10 days in both the groups.

This study showed that there was a statistically significant increase in vascular channels and Doppler velocity rates and improved bleeding score in group B (p < 0.001) when compared to group A.

LLLT can be a valuable adjunct to aid in enhancing neoangiogenesis in peri-implant mucosa. Colour doppler ultrasonography technology may serve as a valuable noninvasive evaluating tool for tissue perfusion analysis.