title: Histomorphometric study of the healing of human oral mucosa after gingivoplasty and low-level laser therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of diode laser irradiation on the healing of human oral mucosa.
  
  
  METHODS
  After gingivoplasty, the right hemi-arch (test group) of 16 patients was irradiated with a diode laser. The left side (control group) was not irradiated. Incisional biopsies were performed on both sides at 7, 14, 21, and 60 days after surgery and morphometrically analyzed by light microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Epithelium width ranged from 260.6 to 393.5 microm. Volume densities of basal (20.2%), prickle cell (55.6%), and cornified (24.2%) layers remained stable. The peak number of neutrophils were 6 cells/mm(2) and the mononuclear cells were 44 cells/mm(2). Collagen fibers (80%) and fibroblasts (14%) occupied the main volume of connective tissue. The one-way ANOVA and the paired Student's t-test were used for statistical analysis (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-level laser therapy did not accelerate the healing of oral mucosa after gingivoplasty.
authors.affiliation: Bauru School of Dentistry-University of São Paulo-Department of Periodontology, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil. cdamante@rocketmail.com
authors.forename: Carla A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Damante
authors.forename: Sebastião L A
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Greghi
authors.forename: Adriana C P
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Sant'Ana
authors.forename: Euloir
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Passanezi
authors.forename: Rumio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Taga
mesh_terms: D005885:Gingival Hyperplasia / Q000601:surgery; D005893:Gingivoplasty; D006801:Humans; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000528:radiation effects*