Calvarial bone wound healing: a comparison between carbide and diamond drills, Er:YAG and Femtosecond lasers with or without BMP-7.
OBJECTIVE
This study compared the healing of 2 laser ablation units, erbium YAG and femtosecond lasers versus conventional mechanical cutting with carbide and diamond drills to explore future applications for bone surgery. The effects of laser or mechanical ablation combined with rhBMP-7 were also investigated.


METHODS
Following defect standardization, a full-thickness circular defect was created on the parietal bones of 160 mice divided into 4 groups: carbide drill, diamond drill, erbium YAG laser, and femtosecond laser. Each of the 4 ablation groups was treated with and without BMP 7. Hard tissue healing was assessed using microcomputerized tomography at 3 and 12 weeks postsurgical time points.


RESULTS
The femtosecond laser created wounds that showed slightly delayed bone healing during the observation period when compared with mechanical drilling, although the difference was not statistically significant. The Er:YAG laser showed a healing rate similar to that of the mechanically ablated groups. When BMP 7 was added to the surgical sites, bone wound closure occurred at a similar rate in all test groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The femtosecond and Er:YAG lasers are 2 laser modalities suitable for bone ablation that are comparable to mechanical instrumentation in terms of bone healing. This study suggested that BMP-7 may be used to enhance bone healing with success regardless of the ablative modality used, whether laser or mechanical drilling.
Cloutier
Martin
M
Department of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Girard
Bruno
B
Peel
Sean A F
SA
Wilson
David
D
Sándor
George K B
GK
Clokie
Cameron M L
CM
Miller
Dayne
D
D000818:Animals; D055419:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002244:Carbon; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018130:Diamond; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007834:Lasers / Q000145:classification*; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010294:Parietal Bone / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography / Q000379:methods
D055419:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7; C525820:bmp7 protein, mouse; D002244:Carbon; D018130:Diamond