title: Effects of low power Er:YAG laser on the tooth pulp-evoked jaw-opening reflex.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Analgesic properties of laser irradiation have been of great interest in the field of dentistry. This study aimed at evaluating the analgesic effects of the Er:YAG laser system in rats during and after laser irradiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pulsed Er:YAG laser was applied to the oral mucosa of the mandibular incisor at an energy density of approximately 0.1 J/cm(2)/pulse for 10 minutes at 10 Hz, and the integrated digastric muscle electromyogram in tooth pulp-evoked jaw-opening reflex was used as an index of the nociceptive response.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant reflex suppression was observed 10 minutes after laser irradiation. The reflex amplitude started to return to its original level about 45 minutes after cessation of laser irradiation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Er:YAG laser used at low output levels presented inhibitory effects on the tooth pulp-evoked jaw-opening reflex, suggesting that this laser system may be of use for pain control during various dental treatments.
authors.affiliation: Division of Integrative Sensory Physiology, Department of Developmental and Reconstructive Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8588, Japan. jorge@net.nagasaki-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Jorge L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zeredo
authors.forename: Katia M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fujiyama
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toda
mesh_terms: D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000528:radiation effects*; D007568:Jaw / Q000502:physiology*; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000528:radiation effects; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*