Low-level light therapy (LLLT) may be a more effective treatment for oral lichen planus (OLP) than topical corticosteroids, according to a review study recently published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice.
Furthermore, LLLT may successfully reduce pain, improve OLP lesion outcomes, and decrease relapse risk, the authors wrote.
"These findings suggest that LLLT could be a superior treatment option for OLP," wrote the authors, led by Chenghui Lu of the Core Unit of National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases in China (J Evid Based Dent Pract, February 18, 2025, 102126).
The systematic review and meta-analysis examined randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on LLLT for OLP patients, searching PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science until February 2023, they wrote.
A subgroup analysis identified sources of heterogeneity while sensitivity analysis tested robustness. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots, the Egger's test, and the Begg's test. Statistical analyses were conducted with Stata 16.0, and bias risk was evaluated using RevMan 5.4.1.
The review included 12 RCTs, with seven also analyzed in the meta-analysis. Among these studies, one had a low risk of bias while seven had an unclear risk. The meta-analysis showed that LLLT significantly improved long-term pain relief with a mean difference (MD) of -1.20 (95% confidence interval [CI], -2.01 to -0.38; p < 0.001), they wrote.
However, no significant pain reduction was observed in the short term (MD = -0.68; 95% CI, -1.38 to 0.01; p = 0.05) or medium term (MD = -0.89, 95% CI, -1.96 to 0.17; p = 0.10). LLLT also improved lesion severity (MD = -1.13; 95% CI, -1.62 to -0.63; p < 0.001) and lowered the recurrence rate (log risk ratio [log RR] = -1.34; 95% CI, -2.30 to -0.37; p = 0.01). No significant differences were found in the clinical response rate (log RR = -0.12; 95% CI, -0.37 to 0.13; p = 0.35), and no adverse events were reported.
Nevertheless, the study had limitations. Across studies, there was variability in laser parameters and treatment methods, the authors added.
"LLLT seems to alleviate pain, enhance the clinical outcomes of OLP lesions, and lower the likelihood of relapse in OLP patients, with minimal adverse effects," Lu and colleagues concluded.
