Objectives: In dentistry, delayed wound healing following tooth extraction is a major clinical complication brought about by diabetes. This metabolic disease poses a threat to both the dentist and the patient. This study aimed to test the effect of blended silk fibroin–aloe vera gel on extraction wound healing of diabetic rats and evaluates then if the material induces epithelialization, thus, can be utilized for wound healing acceleration.
Methods: A randomized controlled single blinded research design was used. A) Preparation of silk fibroin-aloe vera gel: The gel was prepared by mixing 1.95% weight per volume of fibroin and 0.05% weight per volume aloe vera extract. B) Surgical Phase: The lower 1st molar, randomly either the left or right, of 12 Alloxan-induced diabetic male Sprague-Dawley rats were extracted. Extraction sites of 6 rats from the experimental group were treated with the prepared gel while that of the other 6 from the negative group were left untreated. The sites were prepared for histopathological analysis one and two weeks post-operatively.
Results: Table 1 showed that there was relatively and statistically more favorable response in the experimental group than the negative group in terms of epithelialization after 2 weeks (p=0.05).
Conclusion: The silk fibroin–aloe vera gel demonstrated developing epithelialization as seen especially after 2 weeks.
Table 1
Epithelialization Findings on the Group of Rats Treated With and Without Silk Fibroin and Aloe Vera after One Week and Two Weeks
|
WITHOUT SILK FIBROIN-ALOE VERA
|
WITH SILK FIBROIN-ALOE VERA
|
|
1 week
(n=3)
|
2 weeks
(n=3)
|
1 week
(n=3)
|
2 weeks
(n=3)
|
NONE
|
100%
|
0%
|
33%
|
0%
|
STARTS TO DEVELOP
|
0%
|
100%
|
33%
|
33%
|
STILL DEVELOPING
|
0%
|
0%
|
33%
|
67%
|
DEVELOPED
|
0%
|
0%
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
1 week
|
2 weeks
|
P-value
(comparing the two groups)
|
0.15
|
0.05
|
Interpretation:
|
Not significant
|
Significant
|
*P-value≤0.05 = Significant difference between two groups.
|