Comparative Evaluation of the Efficacy of Laser Therapy and Fibroblastic Growth Factor Injection on Mucosal Wound Healing in Rat Experimental Model

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of laser and basic fibroblastic growth factor (bFGF) treatment on operative wound healing in a rat model. Methods: Sixty-six male Wistar rats were employed in this study. A 10-mm surgical wound was created on the buccal mucosa of each rat, under anesthesia, and then the rats were divided into 3 groups of 22: (1) GF group (received subcutaneous injection of bFGF), (2) laser group (treated with low-level laser irradiation), and (3) control group (received no treatment). On day 5, half of the rats in each group and on day 10 the other half, were sacrificed. Afterward, samples were taken from rats' buccal mucosa for histological assay and scoring. The data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney test (alpha = 5%). Results: On day 5 there was not any significant difference between GF and control groups; however, the laser group showed clinically delayed wound coverage, compared to other groups (P < 0.05). On day 10, histological examination demonstrated marked vascular granulation tissue (GT) in GF group. Collagen production was significantly prominent in laser group compared to GF treated samples (P = 0.004). Inflammation of GT in GF and laser groups was significantly less than that in control samples (P = 0.005 and P = 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: The components of wound matrix induced by GF and laser treatment were significantly different. Although bFGF or laser treatment of oral wounds, under the conditions of the present study, did not accelerate wound healing, they showed some other notable effects on the quality of healing.