Photobiomodulation as a strategy for the treatment of recurrent aphthous stomatitis - Case Report
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v15i3.50754Keywords:
Lasers, Oral medicine, Oral ulcer, Aphthous stomatitis, Wound healing.Abstract
Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS) is characterized as a common pathology in the oral cavity that causes discomfort on patients and that impairs several daily functions. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze 2 clinical cases of RAS submitted to photobiomodulation therapy (PBM) and discuss the benefits that it provides over ulcerations and reactions caused in the tissue. The patients sought the extension project “Laserterapia na Odontologia” in a dental service, in which it was performed the anamnesis and detailed clinical examination, providing attention to their main complaint, at the end it was possible to observe the presence of whitish ulcerative lesions surrounded by a red area and with painful symptoms, which confirms the diagnosis of RAS, then it was decided to use the PBM for a treatment for these lesions, with a protocol for pain and another for acceleration of the wound healing period. It was observed that the immediate reduction of the painful symptomatology in both cases, just as the disappearance of the lesion approximately 3 days after the first irradiation. The PBM was effective in the treatment for RAS in both reported cases and its modulating action of inflammation, analgesic and tissue repair are established, favoring a non-invasive treatment, since it dispensed the use of systemic medications.
References
Aggarwal, H., Singh, M. P., Nahar, P., Mathur, H., Ghuwalewala, S., & Jain, V. (2014). Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in treatment of recurrent aphthous ulcers - A sham controlled, split mouth follow up study. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 8(2), 218-221. https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2014/7639.4064
Ahmed, M. K., Jafer, M., Nayeem, M., & Al-Zayer, M. A. (2020). Low-level laser therapy and topical medications for treating aphthous ulcers: A systematic review. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 13, 1595-1605. https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S281495
Akerzoul, N., & Chbicheb, S. (2018). Low laser therapy as an effective treatment of recurrent aphtous ulcers: A clinical case reporting two locations. Pan African Medical Journal, 30, 205. https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2018.30.205.15779
Al-Maweri, S. A., Tarakji, B., Al-Sakkaf, A. S., Al-Wafi, A. S., Al-Mawri, M. A., & Manyam, R. (2020). Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in management of recurrent aphthous stomatitis: A systematic review. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry, 12(2), e142-e151. https://doi.org/10.4317/jced.56456
Amorim dos Santos, J., Normando, A. G. C., de Toledo, I. P., Melo, G., De Luca Canto, G., Guerra, E. N. S., & Stefani, C. M. (2020). Laser therapy for recurrent aphthous stomatitis: An overview. Clinical Oral Investigations, 24(1), 37-45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-019-03144-z
Bernardes, E. J., Nascimento, J. S., & Ribeiro, N. C. (2025). Estudo de caso ou casos múltiplos. Coleção Produção Acadêmica UFLA, 1, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.60144/cpa.2025.n.4
Brignardello-Petersen, R. (2017). Laser use may improve pain and wound healing in patients with recurrent aphtous stomatitis. The Journal of the American Dental Association, 148(8), e112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2017.05.025
Han, M., Fang, H., Li, Q. L., Cao, Y., Yin, C. Q., & Zhu, Z. Y. (2016). Effectiveness of laser therapy in the management of recurrent aphthous stomatitis: A systematic review. Scientifica, 2016, 9062430. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/9062430
Hu, X., Pan, H., He, W., Mao, X., & Chen, J. (2017). Evaluation of the content quality of websites for recurrent aphthous ulcers and oral lichen planus. BMC Oral Health, 17(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-017-0467-1
Lalabonova, H., & Daskalov, H. (2014). Clinical assessment of the therapeutic effect of low-level laser therapy on chronic recurrent aphthous stomatitis. Biotechnology & Biotechnological Equipment, 28(5), 929-933. https://doi.org/10.1080/13102818.2014.966526
Lemos, M. C. (2022). Propriedades mecânicas de resinas compostas diretas e de blocos CAD/CAM de resina: Revisão sistemática [Dissertação de Mestrado, Universidade de Coimbra]. Repositório Institucional da UC.
Najeeb, S., Khurshid, Z., Zohaib, S., Zafar, M. S., Almas, K., & Heboyan, A. G. (2016). Management of recurrent aphthous ulcers using low-level lasers: A systematic review. Medicina, 52(5), 263-268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medici.2016.07.006
Nasry, S. A., El Shenawy, H. M., Mostafa, D., & Zakaria, A. S. (2016). Different modalities for treatment of recurrent aphthous stomatitis. A Randomized clinical trial. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry, 8(5), e517-e522. https://doi.org/10.4317/jced.52877
Pereira, A. S., Shitsuka, D. M., Parreira, F. J., & Shitsuka, R. (2018). Metodologia da pesquisa científica. Editora da UFSM. https://repositorio.ufsm.br/bitstream/handle/1/15824/Lic_Computacao_Metodologia-Pesquisa-Cientifica.pdf
Risemberg, R. I. C. et al. (2026). A importância da metodologia científica no desenvolvimento de artigos científicos. E-Acadêmica, 7(1), e0171675. https://eacademica.org/eacademica/article/view/675
Rocca, J. P., Zhao, M., Fornaini, C., Raybaud, H., & Merigo, E. (2018). Effect of laser irradiation on aphthae pain management: A four different wavelengths comparison. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, 189, 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2018.09.016
Silva, K. L. et al. (2013). Estudos de casos múltiplos: uma estratégia para investigação em saúde e enfermagem. In: 17 SENPE. https://portal.eventosaben.org.br/anais_senpe/17senpe/pdf/0042co.pdf
Ślebioda, Z., Dorocka-Bobkowska, B., & Kowalska, A. (2014). Etiopathogenesis of recurrent aphthous stomatitis and the role of immunologic aspects: Literature review. Archivum Immunologiae et Therapiae Experimentalis, 62(3), 205-215. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00005-013-0261-y
Ślebioda, Z., Krawiecka, E., Szponar, E., & Dorocka-Bobkowska, B. (2017). Evaluation of serum zinc levels in patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS). BMC Oral Health, 17(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-017-0450-x
Slebioda, Z., & Dorocka-Bobkowska, B. (2020). Low-level laser therapy in the treatment of recurrent aphthous stomatitis and oral lichen planus: A literature review. Postepy Dermatologii i Alergologii, 37(4), 475-481. https://doi.org/10.5114/ada.2020.98258
Suter, V. G. A., Sjölund, S., & Bornstein, M. M. (2017). Effect of laser on pain relief and wound healing of recurrent aphthous stomatitis: A systematic review. Lasers in Medical Science, 32(4), 953-963. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-017-2184-z
Suter, V. G. A., Sjölund, S., & Bornstein, M. M. (2020). Effect of laser on pain relief and wound healing of recurrent aphthous stomatitis: A systematic review. Lasers in Medical Science, 35(4), 953-963. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-019-02943-y
Vale, F. A., Moreira, M. S., Almeida, F. C. S., & Ramalho, K. M. (2015). Low-level laser therapy in the treatment of recurrent aphthous ulcers: A systematic review. The Scientific World Journal, 2015, 150412. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/150412
Verztman, J. (2019). A estratégia de estudo de casos múltiplos na pesquisa clínica em psicanálise. Fundamentals Psychopathology.
https://www.fundamentalpsychopathology.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/a _estrategia_de_estudo _de_casos_multiplos _na_pesquisa _clinica_ em_ psicanalise.pdf
Wang, Z., Cao, H., Xiong, J., Lu, Y., Luan, Q., & Zhang, Q. (2022). Recent advances in the aetiology of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS). Postgraduate Medical Journal, 98(1155), 57-66. https://doi.org/10.1136/postgradmedj-2020-139421
Yilmaz, H. G., Albaba, M. R., Caygur, A., Cengiz, E., & Tanyel, C. (2017). Treatment of recurrent aphthous stomatitis with Er,Cr:YSGG laser irradiation: A randomized controlled split mouth clinical study. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, 170, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2017.03.011
Zeini, J. N., Ghapanchi, J., Pourshahidi, S., & et al. (2017). Clinical evaluation of high and low-level laser treatment (CO2 vs InGaAlP diode laser) for recurrent aphthous stomatitis. Journal of Dentistry, 18(1), 17-23.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Luana Barbieri Trinta, Jardel dos Santos Silva, Andréa Dias Neves Lago, Tabata Resque Beckmann Carvalho, Sandra Kalil Bussadori, Karyzze Milhomem de Oliveira

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
2) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
3) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
