3 Bone response around titanium alloy implants in osteoporosis

Abstract

Few studies have investigated bone healing of the extraction socket in osteoporosis. We evaluated the bone response after mandibular incisor extraction in rats with osteoporosis using titanium alloy implants in vitro and in vivo. Ovariectomy (OVX) or control operations were performed at 9 weeks of age. In vitro measurements were done with titanium alloy disks of the alkaline phosphate (ALP) activity after 7 and 14 days, osteocalcin (OCN) production after 21 and 28 days, and calcium deposition after 21 and 28 days. The titanium alloy screws were placed in the mandibular extraction sites and the animal body weight was examined at three-week intervals. At 3, 6 and 9 weeks post-insertion, histological observations were performed. At all measurement points, cells of the control group show significantly more ALP activity, OCN production and calcium deposition than did cells of the OVX group. The healing process of the extraction socket after insertion of a titanium screw was different between the controls and the OVX animals. Histopathologic examination showed that formation of new bone in the extraction socket was markedly inhibited in the ovariectomized rats. We found that osteoporosis affects socket healing after the extraction in ovariectomized rat mandibular incisors. This should be taken into consideration when doing implants in patients with osteoporosis.