Long-term effect of desalivation on extraction wound healing: a densitometric study in rats

The study evaluates radiographically the long-term changes that occur during the healing of tooth sockets in a desalivated rat model. Experimental rats underwent sialadenectomy of the submandibular and sublingual glands and ligation of the parotid ducts. Mandibular left first molars were extracted and the rats killed at 0, 14, 21, 28, 45 and 60 days post-extraction. The mandibles were removed, cleaned of soft tissue, placed on a size 2 dental X-ray film and exposed together with an aluminium stepwedge 0.5-3.0 mm. Socket density was measured using a digital densitometer and related to the equivalent density of aluminium. The density of the image of the apical area of the socket was similar in control and desalivated groups (P > 0.05) throughout the study. However, the density of the image of the crestal area of the socket was lower (P < 0.01-0.001) between days 21 and 60 in desalivated rats. This suggests that desalivation causes a long-term delay in socket healing.