Effect of No-ozone Cold Plasma on Regeneration after Crushed Mental Nerve Injury in rats

Background: This experimental research aimed to determine whether No-ozone Cold Plasma (NCP) has regenerative effect on crushed injured sensory nerves in a rat model (Wistar A) and to evaluate whether NCP can be used as an alternative treatment method for sensory nerve injury in the oral-maxillofacial region. Methods: A total of 10 Wistar A rats were used for this experiment. They were divided into three groups according to whether the mental nerve of the left mandible was injured and NCP was applied or not: group 1 (n=3) (non-mental nerve damage, non-MD) - the left mental nerve was exposed and non-damaged; group 2 (n=3) (mental nerve damage, MD) - the left mental nerve was exposed and damaged, NCP was not applied; and group 3 (n=4) (mental nerve damage and NCP, MD-NCP) - the left mental nerve was exposed and damaged, NCP was applied with regular intervals (three times a week). Results: For the behavior analysis, von Frey test was used. Furthermore, the nerve tissues were examined with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and the extent of neurorecovery was evaluated with the immunofluorescence staining of certain markers. The behavioral analysis showed that the function recovery sensory nerve was faster in group 3 (MD-NCP). In the histomorphologic and immunofluorescence analyses, the expression of the factors involved in neurorecovery was much higher in group 3 than in group 2 (MD). Conclusions: The expeditious recovery of sensory nerve function as well as the higher expression of the factors indicating nerve function recovery in the NCP-treated group suggest that NCP has a positive effect on regeneration after sensory nerve crushing injury. Therefore, in the case of sensory impairment of the oral-maxillofacial region, no-ozone cold plasma can be applied for therapeutic effect.