The influence of low-intensity laser therapy on palatal wound healing after connective tissue harvesting in smokers: controlled clinical trial

• Grant number: 13/19648-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2014
• End date: December 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Periodontology
• Principal Investigator: Mauro Pedrine Santamaria
• Grantee: Ana Luiza Barbosa Jurema
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia (ICT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José dos Campos. São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Gingival recession is the apical shift of the gingival margin leading to root surface exposure. The presence of gingival recession can cause other negative effects, such as root sensitivity, esthetic demand and cervical wear. Because of these problems cause by gingival recession, there are many surgical techniques aimed to deal with recessions. Among all available surgical procedures, the connective tissue graft is the most predictable and the one presenting better long term results. However, this procedure has been related to greater mobility and post-surgical pain compared to other techniques because it requires a second surgical site in order to harvest the graft. Additionally, the literature shows that smokers present a poor periodontal wound healing result when compared to non-smokers. There is no study available in the literature evaluating the effects of low intensity laser therapy (LILT) on the wound healing process of the donor site (palate) of CTG procedure in smokers. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to evaluate the palatal wound healing after LILT in smokers and compare to non-smokers. For this, 20 individuals presenting gingival recession will be divided in 2 groups: Test Group: CTG procedure for root coverage and LILT application at the donor site in smokers patients, and Control Group: CTG procedure for root coverage and LILT application at the donor site in non-smokers patients. The clinical and photographic parameters will be evaluated: Defect Area (DA); presence of scars (S); tissue colorimetric evaluation (TC); post-operative pain (P). Intragroup and intergroup evaluation will be performed using significance of 5%.