title: Low-level laser therapy affects osseointegration in titanium implants: resonance frequency, removal torque, and histomorphometric analysis in rabbits.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) with a diode gallium-aluminum-arsenide (Ga-Al-As) low-level laser device on the healing and attachment of titanium implants in bone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen New Zealand white male rabbits weighing 3.0±0.5 kg were used for this study. Dental titanium implants (3.75 mm in diameter and 8.5 mm in length, US II RBM plus fixture; Osstem, Seoul, Korea) were implanted into both femurs of each rabbit. The rabbits were randomly divided into a LLLT group and a control group. The LLLT was initiated immediately after surgery and then repeated daily for 7 consecutive days in the LLLT group. Six weeks and 12 weeks after implantation, we evaluated and compared the osseointegration of the LLLT group and control group, using histomorphometric analysis, removal torque testing, and resonance frequency analysis (RFA). The results were statistically significant when the level of probability was 0.05 or less based on a non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The implant survival rate was about 96%. Histologically and histomorphometrically, we observed that the titanium implants were more strongly attached in LLLT group than in control group. However, there was no significant difference between the LLLT group and control group in removal torque or RFA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Histologically, LLLT might promote cell-level osseointegration of titanium implants, but there was no statistically significant effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, On General Hospital, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Ryoul
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7737-7127
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Hee
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5086-1237
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Anatomy, School of Dentistry, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: In-Ryoung
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0232-0385
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Anatomy, School of Dentistry, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Bong-Soo
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9799-5627
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.; Institute of Translational Dental Sciences and Dental Research Institute, Pusan National University Dental Hospital, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Deok
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5807-7487
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Animal experiments; Bone density; Dental implants; Lasers; Titanium