College : We have reported pain relieving effects and blood flow changes in dental pulp by laser irradiation. The aim of this study was to investigate the threshold of thermal sensation and blood flow in dental pulp by low-power Nd:YAG laser irradiation to the mental foramen. Materials and Methods : Medical staff of Tsurumi University School of Dental Medicine with normal right lower canines received low-power Nd:YAG laser irradiation on the left mental foramen. Blood flow and the threshold of thermal sensation at
Background/purpose
The tissue absorption laser has been clinically applied to alleviate pain in various areas. It is used for pain relief from temporomandibular disease (TMD) in dentistry. Although the facial and trigeminal nerves are distributed around the temporomandibular joint, the effects of laser irradiation and absorption on the neural functions have not been directly studied. In this study, the Nd:YAG laser was applied to an area where the facial nerve passes with photonic radiation for the treatment of TMD.
Materials and methods
Ten volunteers including seven males and three females were selected as subjects. Nd:YAG laser was irradiated area included several internal and external standard and associated acupuncture points. The chorda tympani nerve, a branch of facial nerve is distributed to the front two thirds of the tongue and is associated with the sense of taste. We evaluated the effect of laser irradiation and absorption on the taste function by means of an electric taste meter.
Results
No significant difference was identified in the values between before and after laser irradiation (Wilcoxon signed-rank test).
Conclusion
It was confirmed that there was no effect on taste function while applying Nd:YAG laser irradiation around the TMD joint.
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