Effectiveness of Laser Photobiomodulation in the Treatment of Orofacial Paresthesias—Experience from a University Clinic

Objective: To identify the clinical effectiveness of laser photobiomodulation in the treatment of orofacial paresthesia in a public university clinic in Northeast Brazil. Methods: A retrospective, observational study was conducted using secondary data from 125 patients treated at the Biophotonics Center of the Faculty of Dentistry of the Federal University of Bahia from 2003 to 2019 with a confirmed diagnosis of orofacial paresthesia. Data collection included the sociodemographic profile, clinical and dental history, and the patients' main complaint. The therapeutic protocol employed an infrared diode laser (λ 700–808 nm), in continuous mode, with applications every 48 hours, totaling 12 individualized sessions. Nerve sensitivity was measured in each session using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), with pain reduction and movement considered as response variables. The data were analyzed, and the study was approved by the ethics committee of FOUFBA (protocol 60327516500005024). Results: Tooth extraction was identified as the main etiological factor of paresthesia (60%), with an average of three treatment cycles per patient. At the end of the intervention, 67% of individuals achieved satisfactory results, with significant clinical improvement or total remission of symptoms. Cases resulting from orthognathic surgery required higher cyclic doses, although no statistically significant difference was found between dosage and clinical outcome. Laser photobiomodulation proved to be an effective and viable therapeutic modality for sensory recovery and management of orofacial paresthesias.