Background: Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPU) stimulates bone cells and accelerates the repair process. This article aims to evaluate its effect on bone formation by assessing bone density in a maxillary socket after extraction of a central incisor.
Methods: A RCT was designed;16 patients with badly decayed upper central incisors were selected. Eight adult patients were randomly assigned to each group. The ultrasound group were subjected to LIPU immediately after extraction through an ultrasound device and the 15 sessions scheduled at five sessions per week for three weeks. The control group patients were not exposed to any intervention. Bone density changes were measured by digital radiographs on days one and 90postoperatively.
Results: The bone density of each group was significantly increased at day 90. The estimated mean change in bone density at day 90 was significantly larger in the ultrasound group than the control group (71.555 and 55.764 respectively) after deducting the difference at day 1.
Conclusions: the results suggest that LIPU enhances bone healing of maxillary bony extraction sockets. This may be an adjunct modality to avoid healing delays of maxillofacial bony defects as in extraction sockets and cystic defects.
Keywords—Bone density, ultrasonic waves, tooth extraction, maxilla, LIPU