Comparison of efficacy of photobiomodulation therapy with ibuprofen in reducing pain perception associated with placement of elastomeric separator during initial orthodontic treatment

Orthodontic treatment-induced pain poses challenges, affecting patient compliance. Orthodontic forces trigger pain due to tooth movement and bone remodelling around roots, often managed with Non steroidal antiinflammatory drugs(NSAIDS). However, NSAIDs hinder tooth movement and entail systemic side effects like gastrointestinal problem, hepatotoxicity, hypertension, nephrotoxicity, increased risk of heart disease. Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT), a non-pharmaceutical alternative, shows promise in reducing pain without systemic effects. Previous studies support PBMT’s effectiveness, making it a potential solution for discomfort after separator placement during orthodontic treatment, offering advantages over traditional NSAIDs. This study assesses photobiomodulation therapy’s efficacy for pain relief after separator placement, comparing its effectiveness to Ibuprofen in initial orthodontic treatment stages. This research has a split-mouth design. Elastomeric separators are applied to first molars in one quadrant, followed by immediate photobiomodulation therapy using a diode laser. Pain perception is recorded at various intervals using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). After seven days, the same process is repeated in the contralateral quadrant, but with a placebo therapy and prescribed Ibuprofen. Postoperative pain is assessed using VAS, and the data collected will be compared and analyzed to test hypotheses. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of photobiomodulation therapy in managing orthodontic pain compared to a placebo and pain relief medication. It is expected that both the therapies, i.e. photobiomodulation and Ibuprofen will reduce pain and the reduction of pain perception in both of the treatment modalities will vary.