Thermographic Evaluation after Three Kinds of Lasers Irradiations in the Skin Surface of Temporomandibular Region

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate thermographic changes in facial temperature before and after irradiation by three kinds of lasers (CO₂ laser, diode laser and Nd: YAG laser) to the right TMJ area of 10 healthy subjects with no history of orofacial disorders, including temporomandibular disorders. Each subject had eight thermograms and the changes in facial temperature before and after irradiation were determined.The facial temperatures at 5 min, 10 min, and 10 min after stopping irradiation were significantly higher than before irradiation on both the irradiated side and the opposite side for the diode laser and the Nd: YAG laser and on the opposite side for the CO₂ laser.
Though the facial temperatures of 10 min. after stopping irradiation were significantly higher than before irradiation on the opposite side with the CO₂ laser, no significant differences were found between before irradiation and at 5 min, before and 10 min. in irradiation side.
These results suggested that three kinds of low-level laser irradiations had a effect of increase facial temperature of tissues.