Low-level laser therapy shows weak evidence of slightly speeding up tooth movement and reducing pain during braces, but results are inconsistent across studies. According to Gram Research analysis of 20 systematic reviews, vitamin D supplements showed no reliable benefits for orthodontic treatment. Neither treatment has strong enough evidence for routine clinical use, and better-designed studies are needed.
Researchers reviewed dozens of studies about two popular methods people use to speed up orthodontic treatment: low-level laser therapy and vitamin D supplements. According to Gram Research analysis, laser therapy showed weak evidence of slightly faster tooth movement and minor pain relief, but the results were inconsistent across studies. Vitamin D showed no reliable benefits. The researchers concluded that neither treatment has enough solid evidence to recommend using them routinely in orthodontic practice. Better-designed studies are needed before dentists can confidently suggest these approaches to patients.
Key Statistics
An umbrella review of 20 systematic reviews published in BMC Oral Health in 2026 found that low-level laser therapy showed only low-certainty evidence of accelerating tooth movement and reducing orthodontic pain, with highly inconsistent results across studies.
According to a 2026 umbrella review analyzing multiple meta-analyses, vitamin D supplementation showed very low-certainty evidence with no consistent association with faster tooth movement or other orthodontic benefits.
A 2026 comprehensive review of orthodontic adjunct treatments found that high variability among studies prevented confident recommendations for either low-level laser therapy or vitamin D in routine orthodontic practice.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: Whether laser therapy or vitamin D supplements can help braces work faster and cause less pain and tooth damage during orthodontic treatment
- Who participated: This was a review of 20 previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses that had studied human patients undergoing orthodontic treatment with braces
- Key finding: Low-level laser therapy showed weak evidence of slightly speeding up tooth movement and reducing pain, but vitamin D showed no consistent benefits across studies
- What it means for you: If your orthodontist suggests laser therapy to speed up braces, the evidence is weak and inconsistent. Vitamin D supplements don’t appear to help based on current research. Talk to your orthodontist about proven methods instead of relying on these unproven add-ons.
The Research Details
This was an umbrella review, which means researchers looked at 20 existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses rather than conducting their own new study. A systematic review is when scientists carefully search all published studies on a topic and combine their findings. A meta-analysis takes that a step further by using statistics to combine the actual numbers from multiple studies. The researchers searched five major medical databases from the beginning of records through November 2025, looking for reviews that studied either low-level laser therapy (a special type of light treatment) or vitamin D in orthodontics. They focused on studies that included human patients wearing braces and measured outcomes like how fast teeth moved, how much pain patients felt, and whether tooth roots got damaged. The researchers assessed the quality of each review using three different quality-checking tools to make sure the evidence was reliable.
This approach is important because it gives us a bird’s-eye view of all the research on these treatments rather than relying on just one study. When many studies exist on a topic, looking at reviews of those studies helps us understand the big picture. However, the researchers found that studies were very different from each other in how they were done, what they measured, and what they found. This high variability made it hard to draw strong conclusions, which is why they rated the evidence as low or very low certainty.
The researchers used established quality assessment tools (AMSTAR-2, ROBIS, and GRADE) to evaluate each review. The fact that they rated the evidence as low or very low certainty means we should be cautious about these findings. The high variability among studies—meaning different studies got different results—is a red flag that suggests the treatments may not work consistently or that studies were measuring things differently. The researchers were transparent about these limitations, which is a sign of good scientific practice.
What the Results Show
Low-level laser therapy showed weak evidence suggesting it may speed up tooth movement slightly, reduce pain in the short term, and cause minor reductions in root resorption (damage to tooth roots). However, the evidence was rated as low certainty, meaning we shouldn’t be very confident in these findings. The results varied significantly from study to study, with some showing benefits and others showing no effect. This inconsistency is a major problem because it suggests the treatment may not work reliably for everyone, or that different studies were using different methods that produced different results. Vitamin D showed no consistent benefits across any of the outcomes studied. Some studies suggested it might help, but others found no effect, and the overall evidence was rated as very low certainty. The researchers noted that even when they looked at specific subgroups (like studies using vitamin D applied directly to the tooth area), the findings remained inconsistent and unreliable.
The researchers examined several specific outcomes: speed of tooth movement, pain levels, root resorption, and bone markers (chemicals in the body that indicate bone activity). For laser therapy, the most promising finding was short-term pain relief, though even this was not consistent across all studies. The slight reduction in root resorption was notable because root damage is a real concern during orthodontic treatment, but the evidence was still weak. For vitamin D, exploratory analyses looking at different ways of administering it (like applying it directly versus taking supplements) produced conflicting results that couldn’t support any clear recommendation.
This review synthesizes evidence that has accumulated over many years of orthodontic research. Previous individual studies had suggested these treatments might help, which is why they’ve become somewhat popular in orthodontic practice. However, this comprehensive review shows that when you look at all the evidence together, the support is much weaker than individual studies might suggest. The inconsistency across studies is a common problem in orthodontic research, where different clinics use different protocols and measure outcomes differently, making it hard to compare results.
The biggest limitation is the high variability among the studies reviewed—they used different laser wavelengths and treatment protocols, measured outcomes differently, and had varying quality. This makes it impossible to confidently combine results. The researchers couldn’t perform statistical meta-analysis for most outcomes because the studies were too different from each other. Additionally, many individual studies had small sample sizes and potential bias. The review only included studies published in certain databases, so some research may have been missed. Finally, the evidence on vitamin D was particularly limited, with fewer high-quality studies available.
The Bottom Line
Based on low-certainty evidence, low-level laser therapy may provide slight benefits for tooth movement speed and pain relief, but the evidence is too weak to routinely recommend it. Vitamin D supplements should not be used based on current evidence, as studies show no consistent benefit. Patients should focus on proven orthodontic methods and discuss any add-on treatments with their orthodontist. More rigorous, well-designed studies are needed before either treatment can be confidently recommended.
Orthodontists and patients considering ways to speed up braces should care about this research. Patients experiencing significant pain during orthodontic treatment might discuss laser therapy with their orthodontist, but should understand the evidence is weak. People considering vitamin D supplements specifically for orthodontic purposes should know there’s no reliable evidence supporting this use. Researchers in orthodontics should use this review to identify gaps in knowledge and design better studies.
If laser therapy does provide benefits, pain relief might occur within days to weeks of treatment. Any effects on tooth movement speed would likely take weeks to months to become noticeable. However, given the weak and inconsistent evidence, patients shouldn’t expect dramatic results. Standard orthodontic treatment timelines (typically 18-24 months) are based on proven methods and should be the realistic expectation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does laser therapy actually speed up braces?
Low-level laser therapy shows weak evidence of slightly speeding up tooth movement, but results vary significantly between studies. A 2026 umbrella review found only low-certainty evidence, meaning the effect is inconsistent and unreliable enough that orthodontists cannot confidently recommend it.
Should I take vitamin D to make my braces work faster?
No. A 2026 comprehensive review found very low-certainty evidence with no consistent benefits of vitamin D for orthodontic treatment. Studies showed conflicting results, so vitamin D supplements should not be used specifically to speed up braces.
Can laser therapy reduce pain from braces?
Low-level laser therapy showed weak evidence of short-term pain relief in some studies, but the evidence is inconsistent. While it may help some patients, the effect is not reliable enough for orthodontists to routinely recommend it as a pain management strategy.
What’s the best way to speed up orthodontic treatment?
Current evidence doesn’t support laser therapy or vitamin D as reliable methods. Focus on proven approaches: excellent oral hygiene, keeping orthodontic appointments, following your orthodontist’s instructions, and discussing any concerns about treatment duration with your provider.
Why do some orthodontists offer laser therapy if the evidence is weak?
Some individual studies suggested benefits, leading to adoption in practice. However, a 2026 review of all available evidence shows results are too inconsistent and weak to confidently recommend these treatments. Orthodontists may offer them based on older evidence or patient demand.
Want to Apply This Research?
- If using laser therapy as an adjunct, track pain levels daily on a 1-10 scale and photograph tooth position weekly to monitor any changes in movement speed compared to baseline
- Users could log orthodontic appointments, laser therapy sessions (if pursuing them), and pain levels to identify patterns and share objective data with their orthodontist for informed decision-making
- Maintain a monthly record of treatment progress photos and pain assessments to determine if any add-on treatments are actually providing benefits for your specific case, rather than relying on weak general evidence
This review summarizes evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses but does not constitute medical advice. The evidence for both low-level laser therapy and vitamin D in orthodontics is rated as low to very low certainty, meaning findings are inconsistent and should not be relied upon for clinical decision-making. Patients should consult with their orthodontist before pursuing any adjunct treatments. This research does not replace standard orthodontic care or professional medical guidance. Individual results may vary, and what works for one person may not work for another.
This research translation is published by Gram Research, the science division of Gram, an AI-powered nutrition tracking app.