Effect of low-level laser therapy on intramembranous and endochondral autogenous bone grafts healing

The aim of this study was to evaluate the healing process of intramembranous (IM) and endochondral (EC) bone grafts under low‐level laser therapy (LLLT). Male rabbits underwent onlay autogenous bone grafts (1 cm in diameter) retrieved from the calvaria and iliac crest and fixed on parietal bones, divided into four groups: Calvaria (C), Iliac (I), Calvaria + LLLT (C+L), and Iliac + LLLT (I+L). Animals from C+L and I+L Groups had their grafts exposed to LLLT (AlGaAs–808 nm, CW, 30 mW, 0.028 cm2 average laser beam area), 15 s irradiation time (16 J/cm2 per point–total of 64 J/cm2 per session). After 7, 14, 30, and 60 days, grafts were retrieved and resorption pattern analyzed by means of morphometry and TRAP‐positive osteoclasts detection. Differences in the resorption levels of iliac grafts were observed, presenting 40% in I group against 8% in I+L grafts at the 14th day of evaluation (P < 0.05). After 30 days, resorption was maintained at 41% in I group, whereas I+L presented 15% in the same period (P = 0.0591). No significant differences were noted in the rates of calvaria grafts resorption in all periods. A significant higher number of osteoclasts on the grafts' surface was observed in C+L Group at day 30, in comparison with C group. In I+L Group, prevalence of osteoclasts was marked at day 7 (P < 0.05) in comparison to I Group. In general, it was concluded that biomodulative effects of LLLT did not significantly affect healing and resorption processes of autogenous bone grafts from EC and IM origins. Microsc. Res. Tech. 75:1237–1244, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.