Diode Laser-Assisted Oral Frenectomy as a Modern Alternative: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Abstract

Clinicians frequently use diode laser-assisted oral frenectomy to correct anatomical restrictions in the oral cavity as a minimally invasive alternative. However, evidence for its effect on wound healing and on reducing common postoperative complications remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of diode laser-assisted frenectomy compared with the conventional scalpel technique. This review adheres to the PRISMA statement, and the protocol is registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251050170). A comprehensive electronic and manual search identified comparative studies of diode laser vs. scalpel frenectomy from January 2015 to December 2025. The analysis pooled the primary outcomes (postoperative discomfort, intraoperative hemorrhage, and wound healing) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity assessment used the I² statistic. Visual inspection of funnel-plot symmetry assessed publication bias. Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed that the diode laser reduced postoperative pain on day 1 (SMD = -1.73; 95% CI: -2.70 to -0.77) and day 7 (SMD = -1.84; 95% CI: -2.78 to -0.90), compared with the scalpel. The diode laser also reduced intraoperative hemorrhage (SMD = -1.97; 95% CI: -2.89 to -1.05). Wound healing on day 7 did not differ significantly between groups. This meta-analysis indicates that diode laser-assisted frenectomy reduces postoperative pain, significantly. In addition, the laser group experienced less intraoperative hemorrhage and better wound healing at 7 day. Future clinical trials should standardize wound-healing indices, define uniform follow-up intervals, and incorporate cost-effectiveness analyses.