Odontoblast response to cavity preparation with Er:YAG laser in rat molars: an immunohistochemical study

This study aimed to examine the dynamics of odontoblast-lineage cells following cavity preparation with erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) laser in rat molars. Cavity preparation was made with Er:YAG laser in the mesial surface of the maxillary left first molar of 8-week-old Wistar rats. Contralateral first molar served as unirradiated control. Immediately, 6 and 12 h and 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 days after the lasing (n = 5, each), specimens were collected and processed for immunohistochemistry for heat-shock protein (HSP)-25 and nestin as markers for odontoblast-lineage cells. Cell proliferation assay using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling was also performed. Unirradiated teeth showed HSP-25- and nestin-immunoreactivity in odontoblasts. At 6-12 h after irradiation, the odontoblastic layer was disorganized and some of odontoblasts lost the immunoreactivity to HSP-25 and nestin. At 1-2 days, however, HSP-25- and nestin-immunoreactivities in the odontoblast layer showed a noticeable recovery, resulting in the rearrangement of odontoblast-like cells intensely immunoreactive to HSP-25 and nestin at 3-7 days. BrdU-positive cells showed a significant increase at 2 days (P < 0.05 vs. immediate previous time point; one-way analysis of variance and Scheffé post hoc test), peaked at 3 days and then decreased significantly (P < 0.05). It was concluded that under the present experimental condition in rat molars, cavity preparation with Er:YAG laser induced mild and reversible damage to odontoblasts. The reparative process was characterized by the rearrangement of HSP-25- and nestin-immunoreactive odontoblast-like cells, which took place subsequent to the odontoblastic layer disorganization with partial loss of these immunoreactivities.