LONG-TERM EFFECT OF DESALIVATION ON EXTRACTION WOUND-HEALING - A DENSITOMETRIC STUDY IN RATS

The study evaluates radiographically the long-term changes that occur during the healing of tooth sockets in a desalivated rat model. Experi mental rats underwent sialadenectomy of the submandibular and sublingu al glands and ligation of the parotid ducts. Mandibular left first mol ars were extracted and the rats killed at 0, 14, 21, 28, 45 and 60 day s post-extraction. The mandibles were removed, cleaned of soft tissue, placed on a size 2 dental X-ray film and exposed together with an alu minium stepwedge 0.5-3.0 mm. Socket density was measured using a digit al densitometer and related to the equivalent density of aluminium. Th e density of the image of the apical area of the socket was similar in control and desalivated groups (P > 0.05) throughout the study. Howev er, the density of the image of the crestal area of the socket was low er (P < 0.01-0.001) between days 21 and 60 in desalivated rats. This s uggests that desalivation causes a long-term delay in socket healing.