Manejo de la parestesia del nervio dentario inferior postextracción de terceros molares mediante terapia láser: una revisión

Introduction: The extraction of mandibular third molars is a common intervention that can cause complications such as damage to adjacent teeth, swelling, bleeding, infection, and nerve damage, with significant injury to the inferior alveolar nerve (NAI). Low-level laser therapy is presented as a promising option for the regeneration of damaged nervous tissue. Methodology: A narrative review was conducted with a comprehensive search of databases such as Science Direct, PubMed, and Google Scholar using validated DeCS descriptors between 2019 and 2024. Inclusion criteria included publications in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, while studies on other surgical procedures were excluded. Results: 13 representative articles were identified. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) was shown to be effective in regenerating nerve tissue and relieving pain, with significant improvements in healing and neurosensory recovery. Discussion: The literature agrees that LLLT is effective in treating postoperative paresthesia, although protocols need to be standardized. Some studies suggest combining LLLT with vitamin B12 as an added benefit. Conclusions: LLLT has enormous potential to treat paresthesia after extraction of third molars. However, the lack of standardization in protocols limits their clinical implementation, recommending more studies in this area. General area of study: Dentistry. Specific area of study: Oral Surgery. Type of article: narrative bibliographic review.