Use of Photobiomodulation for Anesthesia Puncture Pain Reduction: A Case Report

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of photobiomodulation (PBM) 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 808nm infrared low-level laser was applied 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 sham PBM side, as measured by the visual analog scale. Sensitivity tests revealed that anesthesia was more effective on the PBM side. There was no significant difference in blood pressure before and after anesthesia on either side. While these findings are based on a single case report, they suggest that photobiomodulation before anesthesia may alleviate puncture pain associated with anesthesia. Nevertheless, further well-designed clinical trials are necessary to confirm the effectiveness of this complementary therapy.