Pulsed Nd: YAG Laser Induces Pulpal Analgesia: A Randomized Clinical Trial

This double-blind,randomized,clinical trial investigated the effectiveness and underlying mechanism of neural inhibition of pulsed nd:yag laser induction of pulpal analgesia compared with 5% emla anesthetic cream. forty-four paired premolars from 44 orthodontic patients requiring bilateral premolar extraction from either dental arch were randomly assigned to the ‘laser plus sham-emla’ or ‘emla plus sham-laser’ treatment group. analgesia was tested by an electric pulp tester (ept) and the cutting of a standardized cavity,which was terminated when participants reported sensitivity,and visual analogue scale (vas) and numbness were recorded. statistical analyses were done by paired t test,mcnemar's test,and a chi-squared test (p < 0.05). sixty-eight percent of laser- and 59% of emla-treated teeth had completed cavities with statistically significant ept increases above baseline. no significant within-patient differences were found for either group. no laser-treated participants reported numbness. the trial confirmed that the pulsed nd:yag laser effectively induced pulpal analgesia,by suppression of intradental nerve responses to electrical and mechanical stimuli. such a laser provides an alternative for dental pain management (anz-clinical trial registry: n12611001099910). © 2012,international & american associations for dental research. all rights reserved.