Photobiomodulation guided healing in a sub-critical bone defect in calvarias of rats

Background: Photobiomodulation presents stimulatory effects on tissue metabolism, constituting a promising strategy to produce bone tissue healing.Objective: the aim of the present study was to investigate the in vivo performance of PBM using an experimental model of cranial bone defect in rats.Material and Methods: rats were distributed in 2 different groups (control group and PBM group). After the surgical procedure to induce cranial bone defects, PBM treatment initiated using a 808 nm laser (100 mW, 30 J/cm2, 3 times/week). After 2 and 6 weeks, animals were euthanized and the samples were retrieved for the histopathological, histomorphometric, picrosirius red staining and immunohistochemistry analysis.Results: Histology analysis demonstrated that for PBM most of the bone defect was filled with newly formed bone (with a more mature aspect when compared to CG). Histomorphomeric analysis also demonstrated a higher amount of newly formed bone deposition in the irradiated animals, 2 weeks post-surgery. Furthermore, there was a more intense deposition of collagen for PBM, with ticker fibers. Results from Runx-2 immunohistochemistry demonstrated that a higher immunostaining for CG 2 week’s post-surgery and no other difference was observed for Rank-L immunostaining.Conclusion: This current study concluded that the use of PBM was effective in stimulating newly formed bone and collagen fiber deposition in the sub-critical bone defect, being a promising strategy for bone tissue engineering.