A novel investigational preclinical model to assess fluence rate for dental oral craniofacial tissues

Objective: Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) and Photobiomodulation (PBM) are recognized for their potential in treating head and neck conditions. The heterogeneity of human tissue optical properties presents a challenge for effective dosimetry. The porcine mandible cadaver serves as an excellent model and has several similarities to human tissues of the dental oral craniofacial complex. This study aims to validate a novel modeling system that will help refine PDT and PBM dosimetry for the head and neck region.

Methods and materials: Light transmission was analyzed through several tissue combinations at distances of 2 mm to 10 mm. Maximum light fluence rates (mW/cm²) were compared across tissue types to reveal the effects of tissue heterogeneity.

Results: The study revealed that light fluence is affected by tissue composition, with dentin/enamel showing reduced transmission and soft tissue regions exhibiting elevated values. The porcine model has proven to be efficient in mimicking human tissue responses to light, enabling the potential to optimize future protocols.

Conclusion: The porcine mandible cadaver is a novel model to understand the complex interactions between light and tissue. This study provides a foundation for future investigations into dosimetry optimization for PDT and PBM.