Quintessence Int. 2025 Dec 18;0(0):0. doi: 10.3290/j.qi.b6762754. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Aims to critically analyze the effects of photobiomodulation on recovery of the donor area after free gingival graft (FGG) surgery. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science between May 7th and April 7th, 2025, structured according to the PICO strategy: patients ≥18 years undergoing removal of free gingival grafts from the palatal region (P), intervention with photobiomodulation at the donor site (I), compared with natural healing (C), evaluating wound healing as the primary and pain as the secondary outcome (O). A total of 668 records were identified and 8 randomized clinical trials, in which 284 participants were included. In outcomes, clinical healing parameters and patient-reported pain were analyzed, in which the majority of most studies demonstrated that photobiomodulation positively influenced epithelialization, reduction in wound area, and tissue color during the first two postoperative weeks. However, the effect on pain control was inconsistent among studies, with only two showing statistically significant reductions. The studies included demonstrated clinical and methodological heterogeneity due to different laser parameters, and their designs made statistical pooling of data unfeasible for a meta-analysis. In conclusion, photobiomodulation appears to be a promising adjunctive therapy to accelerate palatal wound healing after FGG, particularly in the early postoperative period. Nevertheless, the clinical benefit in pain management remains uncertain. Future well-designed studies with standardized protocols are needed to strengthen contemporary evidence.
PMID:41410039 | DOI:10.3290/j.qi.b6762754
