Effect of low-level laser therapy (λ780 nm) on the mechanically damaged dentin-pulp complex in a model of extrusive luxation in rat incisors

In order to regenerate the dental pulp, many strategies have been developed as phototherapy. In the pulp repair, we do not know if gallium-aluminum-arsenide (GaAlAs) laser preserves the primary odontoblasts or stimulates the formation of more dentin matrix when dental pulp is damaged. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of laser phototherapy (λ780 nm) on vascularization, inflammation, density of the primary odontoblast layer, and formation of reactionary and reparative dentin in the dental pulp by provoking extrusion of the rat incisor. The upper incisors were extruded 3 mm and then repositioned into their original sockets followed by a laser irradiation of the palatal mucosa (λ = 780 nm; p = 70 mW; CW; 4.2 J/cm²; 60 s) every 48 h. Non-traumatized and/or non-irradiated incisors were used as the controls. At 8 and 30 days after surgery, incisors were processed for histological and histomorphometric analysis. Morphological analysis revealed no differences in vascularization between groups, but showed discrete inflammation in some non-irradiated and injured specimens, which correlated with a more irregular reparative dentin. The density of primary odontoblasts in the groups treated with lasers was higher when compared to non-irradiated groups, but no statistically significant difference between groups (p > 0.05). The thickness of the tertiary dentin was increased in both traumatized groups with no statistically significant difference between non-irradiated and irradiated groups (p > 0.05).The present findings revealed that the GaAlAs laser induced small changes on dentin-pulp complex, with more regular dentin matrix in the irradiated dental pulps.