THE EFFECT OF CO₂ LASER ON DENTAL PULP OF DOG

CO₂ laser조사가 성견치수에 미치는 영향에 관한 실험적 연구

The object of this paper was to investigate the histopatological changes on dog's pulp under cavitation by irradiation of the $CO_2$ laser. The subjects were derived from four dogs, and irradiated 113.23 J/$mm^2$, 283.09 J/$mm^2$, 566.08 J/$mm^2$ in Group I, II, and III respectively. The dogs were sacrificed immediately, 24 hour, 72 hour and 1 week after $CO_2$ laser treatment. For light microscopic examination, routine H-E and PAS stains were employed. For electron microscopic observation, the teeth were fixed in 1% paraformaldehyde and 1% glutaraldehyde, decalcified teeth in 10% EDTA were stained by uranyl acetate and lead citrate. The observation was made with a Hitachi H-500 model electron microscope. The following results were obtained in this study: 1. At the early stage of the experimental sub-groups-immediately, 24 hour, 72 hour samples of Group I, II and III-coagulation necrosis and hyperemia were observed in odontoblastic and subodontoblastic pulpal layer. 2. At the 1 week sub-group of Group I, II, regenerative hyperplasia of the odontoblasts without coagulation necrosis were revealed, in addition to thickened predentin. On he other hand coagulation necrosis and atrophic change accompanying with hyperplasia were found at the 1 week sub-group of Group III. 3. Ultrastructurally, the odontoblasts appeared nuclear degeneration, vacuolar change of cytoplasmic organelles and rupture of plasma membrane at the early stage of the experimental period of all groups. 4. Under spectrohelioscopic examination, regenerative odontobalsts were seen at the 1 week specimens of Group I, II and III. 5. The pulpal response occured at 113-566 J/$mm^2$. The pathologic change of pulp tissue occured at the early experimental period but regeneration of odontoblasts could be seen after 1 week.