HISTOLOGIC-STUDY OF ORAL-MUCOSA WOUND-HEALING - A COMPARISON OF A 6.0TO 6.8-MU-M PULSED-LASER AND A CARBON-DIOXIDE LASER

Incisional wound healing in the canine oral mucosa was histologically monitored at 3, 7, and 14 days after incision, Healing was compared fr om a scalpel, a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser at 10.6 mu m, and the Vande rbilt free-electron laser tuned to 6.0, 6.45, and 6.8 mu m. A signific ant delay in wound healing was observed when incisions were made with the CO2 laser, probably attributable to the excess thermal damage caus ed by the continuous-wave laser beam, When using the short pulsed, fre e-electron laser, a much smaller delay comparable to the scalpel wound healing was observed, This smaller delay tended to decrease with incr easing tissue absorption, The results emphasize the greater importance of laser pulse duration rather than wavelength in relation to the sub sequent wound healing.