Journal of Dental Research, Vol 70, 1467-1470, Copyright © 1991 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
The effect of low-level laser treatment on maxillary arch dimensions after palatal surgery on beagle dogs
M. M. in de Braekt, F. A. Van Alphen, A. M. Kuijpers-Jagtman and J. C. Maltha
Department of Orthodontics and Oral Histology, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
The effect of low-level laser treatment on maxillary arch dimensions after
palatal surgery was investigated in Beagle dogs at an age of 12 weeks. A
total of 30 dogs was used, and they were assigned to either a control group
(Group C, n = 6) or one of two experimental groups (Group L, n = 12; and
group LL, n = 12). After Von Langenbeck's palatal repair in the two
experimental groups, denuded bony areas in the LL group were irradiated
with a continuous Ga-As-Al laser beam (830 nm) and energy output set at 30
mW. A dosage of 1 J/cm2 wound surface area was used. Treatment was carried
out three times a week, with a total of ten treatments. The animals of the
L group served as non-treated control animals. Dental casts were made of
all animals of all groups at regular intervals until they reached 25 weeks
of age. Maxillary arch dimensions were studied. Dental arch dimensions in
the deciduous dentition of both experimental groups were not disturbed by
surgery, but after eruption of permanent teeth, mainly transverse maxillary
arch dimensions in the premolar region increased less in both experimental
groups than in the control group. It was concluded that low-level laser
treatment under the conditions used in this study did not decrease the
adverse iatrogenic effects of palatal surgery on maxillary arch dimensions.
