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Dental Applications

Clinical study of the gingiva healing after gingivectomy and low-level laser therapy.

Faria Amorim JC, Sousa GR, Silveira Lde B, Prates RA, Pinotti M, Ribeiro MS.

Photomed Laser Surg. 2006 Oct;24(5):588-94.

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate gingival healing after gingivectomy and adjunctive use of low-level laser therapy (LLLT).

BACKGROUND DATA:LLLT has been used in animal experiments to examine the influence of laser radiation on the wound healing process since the 1960s. However, clinical trials in dentistry are scarce, and most of them refer to treatment after extraction of the third molars, with only a few reports in the area of periodontics.

METHODS: Twenty patients with periodontal disease were selected, and treatment was planned for gingivectomy to bilateral maxillary and mandibular premolar teeth. After surgery, one side was submitted to LLLT using a 685-nm wavelength, output power of 50 mW, and energy density of 4 J/cm(2). The other side was used as the control and did not receive laser irradiation. Healing was evaluated, clinically and biometrically, immediately post-surgery and at days 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35. Results were submitted to statistical analysis.

RESULTS: Biometrical evaluation indicated a significant improvement in healing for the laser group at 21 and 28 days. Clinical evaluation showed better repair for the laser group, mainly after the third day.

CONCLUSION: LLLT was an effective adjunctive treatment that appeared to promote healing following gingivectomy.

Pourzarandian A, Watanabe H, Ruwanpura SM, Aoki A, Ishikawa I.

J Periodontol. 2005 Feb;76(2):187-93.

Section of Periodontology, Department of Hard Tissue Engineering, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan. amir.peri@tmd.ac.jp

BACKGROUND: Low-level laser irradiation has been reported to enhance wound healing. Activation of gingival fibroblasts (GF) has a potential for early wound healing in periodontal treatment. The present study aimed to investigate the direct effect of low-level Er:YAG laser irradiation on gingival fibroblasts proliferation in order to clarify the laser effect on healing.

METHODS: Cultured human gingival fibroblasts (hGF) were exposed to low-power, pulsed Er:YAG laser irradiation with different energy densities ranging from 1.68 to 5.0 J/cm(2). The cultures were analyzed by means of trypan blue staining and counted under a light microscope. The effect of Er:YAG laser on hGF was also evaluated using a transmission electron microscope (TEM).

RESULTS: Cultures irradiated with Er:YAG laser presented faster cell growth when compared with untreated controls. This difference was statistically significant. Transmission electron microscopy revealed rough endoplasmic reticulum, prominent Golgi complexes, and mitochondria after laser irradiation.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that the low-level Er:YAG laser irradiation stimulates the proliferation of cultured gingival fibroblasts. The optimal stimulative energy density was found to be 3.37 J/cm(2). This result suggests that Er:YAG laser irradiation may be of therapeutic benefit for wound healing.