Pilot study on laser propagation in maxillary and mandibular bone: Grey level image analysis for optical measurements.

BACKGROUND: Bone tissue anatomy, density and porosity vary among subjects in different phases of life and even within areas of a single specimen. The optical characteristics of changes in bone tissue are analyzed based on these properties. Photobiomodulation has been used to improve bone healing after surgery or fractures. Thus, knowledge on light propagation is of considerable importance to the obtainment of successful clinical outcomes. OBJECTIVE: This study determines light penetration and distribution in human maxillary and mandibular bones in three different regions (anterior, middle, and posterior). METHODS: A HeNe laser (633nm) irradiated maxillary and mandibular bones in the cervical-apical direction. The light propagation and scattering pattern were acquired and the grey level of the images was analyzed. Three-dimensional plots of the intensity profile and attenuation profiles were created. RESULTS: Differences in optical properties were found between the mandibular and maxillary bones. The maxilla attenuated more light than the mandible at all sites, leading to a shallower penetration depth. CONCLUSION: Our results provide initial information on the behavior of the propagation of red laser on alveolar bone using an optical method.