Table 1: recommendations for low-level laser therapy (intraoral applicators only) in prophylaxis and curative treatment of oral mucositis : from Bensadoun RJ, Nair RG in Curr Opin Oncol, 24(4): 363-70.

Table 1: Recommendations for low-level laser therapy in oral mucositis prophylaxis and therapeutics (intraoral laser applicators only)^a

Parameters to be considered	Description	Recommendation
Wavelength	Historically:	Red wavelength 633-685 nm
	He/Ne:632.8nm	Infrared wavelength 780-830nm
	Diodes: 630-950nm
Output	Depending upon the commercially available product	Diode laser outputs of 10-150mW
Dose	Depending upon the type of light source	Total dose per application (all over the treated surface):
		Not less than 2J/cm2 red wavelengths and 3 J/cm2 for infrared for prophylactic use
		Not less than 4J/cm2 red and infrared wavelengths for therapeutic effect.
Mode of application	How to apply	Application should be in a stationary manner, per a small area not more than 1 cm2.
		Application should be made moving from point to point.
Duration of application	Minimum required irradiation time	An average of 6-20 points may be covered per application, depending on the surface area of the lesions in the oral cavity.
		Time of treatment per point Is done by the formula:
		t (s) = D (J/cm2) ˗ surface (cm2)/power (W)
		For example, with a 100mW device, t will be 20s per point (1 cm2) for prophylactic effect (D=2J), and 40s per point for therapeutic effect (D=4J).
Targeting the lesion	Where to apply	Lesions must be identified first by trained clinicians before commencing therapy.
Duration of therapy	How often should therapy be followed	Therapy should be repeated daily during RT or every other day depending upon the clinical staging or grading and severity of oral lesions and/or OM (minimum of three times a week).
		Until lesion(s) resolution.

OM, oral mucositis; RT, radiotherapy.

^aFor extraoral laser treatments, modalities are still under investigation.