title: Clinical study of the gingiva healing after gingivectomy and low-level laser therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate gingival healing after gingivectomy and adjunctive use of low-level laser therapy (LLLT).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  LLLT has been used in animal experiments to examine the influence of laser radiation on the wound healing process since the 1960s. However, clinical trials in dentistry are scarce, and most of them refer to treatment after extraction of the third molars, with only a few reports in the area of periodontics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with periodontal disease were selected, and treatment was planned for gingivectomy to bilateral maxillary and mandibular premolar teeth. After surgery, one side was submitted to LLLT using a 685-nm wavelength, output power of 50 mW, and energy density of 4 J/cm(2). The other side was used as the control and did not receive laser irradiation. Healing was evaluated, clinically and biometrically, immediately post-surgery and at days 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35. Results were submitted to statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Biometrical evaluation indicated a significant improvement in healing for the laser group at 21 and 28 days. Clinical evaluation showed better repair for the laser group, mainly after the third day.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LLLT was an effective adjunctive treatment that appeared to promote healing following gingivectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. joseclaudioamorim@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: José Cláudio Faria
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Amorim
authors.forename: Gerdal Roberto
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.forename: Lívio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Barros Silveira
authors.forename: Renato Araújo
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Prates
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pinotti
authors.forename: Martha Simões
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
mesh_terms: D005881:Gingiva / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005890:Gingivectomy; D006801:Humans; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000528:radiation effects*