Photobiomodulation Therapy in Oral Medicine : Evidence-based Clinical Protocols

Photobiomodulation (PBM) includes a broad range of nonionizing light sources that, when applied to tissues, lead to anti-inflammatory effects, promote wound healing and tissue repair, improve neural function, and exert an analgesic effect. Although PBM is well established and accessible technique, there is great variability in PBM parameters, protocols, and equipment, which hampers consistent application.

This comprehensive book intents to assist the clinician in determining the most appropriate PBM parameters according to the light source available, in a practical and easy way. Written by experts in the PBM and Oral Medicine fields, it provides the utmost protocols for treatment and prevention of the most prevalent diseases and conditions affecting the mouth and the mandibulo-maxillary complex, in the day-to-day patient care. The protocols have been established based on published articles with high scientific evidence, mainly Systematic Reviews, Meta-analysis, and Randomized Clinical Trials.

The work is divided into three main sections: Photobiomodulation, Supportive Care in Cancer, and Oral Medicine. In each part, the subtopics encompass the most prevalent and relevant diseases and conditions that may beneficiate of PBM therapy. All chapters include a brief disease definition, followed by diagnosis methods and treatment options including PBM. Each chapter presents a suggestion of PBM protocol, with reproducible parameters that may be easily performed by qualified professionals. 

Photobiomodulation Therapy in Oral Medicine - Evidence-based Clinical Protocols aims to assist clinical practitioners in decision-making when it comes to classical Oral Medicine, oncology support as well as bone healing and repair.

Alan Roger Santos-Silva is a Doctor of Dental Surgery (São Paulo State University) and a specialist in Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, and Hospital Dentistry (Brazilian Federal Dental Council). He holds a Master of Science degree in Oral Medicine and a PhD in Pathology from Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, which included a PhD externship at the School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, England. Dr. Santos-Silva previously served as an Oral Medicine specialist at the São Paulo State Cancer Institute (São Paulo University Medical School) and is currently an Associate Professor in the Oral Diagnosis Department at the University of Campinas. He is an Academic Fellow of the American Academy of Oral Medicine and serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Oral Diagnosis, the official publication of the Brazilian Society of Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology. Dr. Santos-Silva has authored five textbooks and more than 400 peer-reviewed articles in international journals.

Ana Gabriela Normando earned her degree in Dentistry, and the Master’s in Health Sciences from the University of Brasília. She holds a PhD title in in Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology from the Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, through a collaborative program with the National Biosciences Laboratory (LNBio-CNPEM). As a CAPES Undergraduate Sandwich Scholar in the Science Without Borders Program, she pursued studies at Western Kentucky University and the New York University College of Dentistry. Ana Gabriela has extensive experience in Oral Medicine, focusing on supportive care for cancer patients and the management of potentially malignant oral lesions. She is licensed in laser dentistry by the Special Laboratory of Laser in Dentistry (LELO, University of São Paulo).

Cesar Migliorati is a Professor in the Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Diagnostic Sciences at the College of Dentistry, University of Florida (UFCD). He served as Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Quality at UFCD from 2017 to 2021. Dr. Migliorati graduated from the University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil, and holds two MSc degrees, one in Oral Medicine (USP) and another in Oral Biology (University of California, San Francisco – UCSF), as well as a PhD in Oral Medicine from USP. He has been a member of the American Academy of Oral Medicine since 1988 and served as President of the American Board of Oral Medicine in 2019. Dr. Migliorati is also a member of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) and the International Society of Oral Oncology (ISOO), where he contributes to the Oral Mucositis Study Group. He is recognized as one of the international pioneers in the use of photobiomodulation for the treatment of mucositis. He collaborates with dental and oncology groups worldwide, focusing on supportive care in cancer and managing oral complications associated with cancer therapy. Dr. Migliorati has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications in international journals.

Mariana Paglioni holds a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), where she also earned her Master of Science and PhD degrees in Oral Medicine. Her PhD included an externship at the Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Diagnostic Sciences at the College of Dentistry, University of Florida (UFCD), USA. She further completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Oral Diagnosis Department of the Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Brazil.

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Aljomar José Vechiato Filho is an assistant dental surgeon and researcher at the Dental Oncology Service of the São Paulo State Cancer Institute (ICESP, São Paulo Medical School). He holds a Master’s degree and a Doctorate in Prosthodontics from the Araçatuba School of Dentistry, São Paulo State University (FOA-UNESP), Brazil.

Thaís Cristina Esteves-Pereira is a dental surgeon with a Master’s degree in Stomatopathology from the Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), where she is currently a PhD candidate. As a researcher, Ms. Esteves-Pereira focuses on photobiomodulation dosimetry and photobiomodulation therapy for the treatment of common oral mucosal diseases.