title: Cytomorphometric and clinical investigation of the gingiva before and after low-level laser therapy of gingivitis in children.
abstract: Gingival epithelial cells are the first physical barrier against periodontal pathogenic microorganisms. Bacterial products may penetrate the epithelium and directly disturb its integrity. We investigated the clinical and cytomorphological status of the gingiva in children with gingivitis before and after low-level laser therapy. The study enrolled 130 children divided into three groups: group 1 comprised 50 children with chronic catarrhal gingivitis who received basic treatment, group 2 comprised 50 children with chronic catarrhal gingivitis who received low-level laser treatment in addition to basic treatment, and group 3 comprised 30 children with healthy gingiva as controls. Oral hygiene and the status of the gingiva were assessed using the appropriate indexes before and after treatment. Inflammation of the gingiva was monitored by cytomorphometric evaluation. Cytomorphometric analysis revealed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) in the size of the nuclei of the stratified squamous epithelial cells of the gingiva before and after treatment in chronic catarrhal gingivitis. Evaluation using clinical parameters showed that treatment of gingivitis with basic treatment was successful. Cytomorphometric analysis showed that after basic treatment the nuclei of the stratified squamous epithelial cells of the gingiva were reduced in size, although not to the size found in healthy gingiva. However, after adjuvant low-level laser therapy, the size of the nuclei of the stratified squamous epithelial cells in the gingiva matched the size of the nuclei in the cells in healthy gingiva.
authors.affiliation: Department of Children and Preventive Dentistry, Dental Clinic, Medical Faculty Nis, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia. igicmarija@gmail.com
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Igic
authors.forename: Dragan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mihailovic
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kesic
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Milasin
authors.forename: Mirjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Apostolovic
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kostadinovic
authors.forename: Olivera Trickovic
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Janjic
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003592:Cytophotometry / Q000379:methods*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000473:pathology*; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male