13th World Congress for Laser Dentistry

26-28, April 2012

Barcelona, Spain

Meeting Abstract

Sponsors: World Federation for Laser Dentistry

-  Poster 122

TITLE: Effects of Laser Phototherapy on the Inflammatory Process of the Rat Temporomandibular Joint.

AUTHORS: Carvalho C, Oliveira PC, Marques AMC, Oliveira SCPS, Miranda GP, Pinheiro ALB.

Center of Biophotonics - School of Dentistry - Federal University of Bahia

SOURCE: Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2012 May 1;17(Supplement1):S270.

* doi:10.4317/medoral.17643770

http://dx.doi.org/10.4317/medoral.17643770

Abstract

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate, by light microscopy, the effects of laser phototherapy (LPT) at 780nm or a combination of 660 and 780nm, on the inflammatory process of the rat temporomandibular joint (TMJ) induced by carrageen.

Background: Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are frequent in the population and generally present an inflammatory component. Previous studies have evidenced positive effects of laser phototherapy on TMDs. However, its mechanism of action on the inflammation of the TMJ is not known yet.

Materials and methods: Eighty-five Wistar rats were divided into 9 groups, and then subdivided in subgroups of 3 and 7 days. Descriptive analysis of components of the TMJ was done. The synovial cell layers were counted.

Results: Injection of saline did not produced inflammatory reaction and the irradiated groups did not present differences compared to nonirradiated ones. After carrageenan injection, intense inflammatory infiltration and synovial cell layers proliferation were observed. The infrared irradiated group presented less inflammation and less synovial cell layers number compared to other groups. Previous laser irradiation did not improve the results.

Conclusion: It was concluded that the LPT presented positive effects on inflammatory infiltration reduction and accelerated the inflammation process, mainly with IR laser irradiation. The number of synovial cell layers was reduced on irradiated group.