EFFECT OF LOW-LEVEL ENERGY LASER IRRADIATION ON GINGIVAL INFLAMMATION

The effect of low level energy infra-red laser irradiation on gingival inflammation was studied. Gingivitis was induced in ten female dental students by refraining from all oral hygiene measures for 28 days. On days 21 and 24 the marginal gingiva, buccal to one of the lateral man dibular incisors, was exposed to 4 minutes of laser irradiation (total dose = 1J). Serving as a control site the gingiva of the contralatera l incisors was exposed to ordinary light. There was no statistical dif ference between the laser exposed sites and the control sites related to either plaque formation or gingival bleeding. The gingivitis reacti on was evaluated with the aid of a stereophotographic method by calcul ating changes in the number of gingival vessels. It was found that the number of vessels identified increased over time for both laser expos ed and control sites. The difference between sites at day 28 was not s tatistically significant (t = 0.82, P > 0.05). These results suggest t hat low energy laser irradiation (LLLT) does not influence the inflamm atory reaction of the gingiva.