Comparative evaluation of simvastatin gel in enhancing peri-implant osteoblastic activity during the Osseo integrative phase using Bone scintigraphy: A prospective case-control double blinded study.

Abstract

Simvastatin (SMV), a lipid lowering drug, can modulate the process of bone regeneration at the molecular and cellular levels. Its effect on the osseointegration of implants has been studied extensively on animals with assuring results with limited research on human subjects. To estimate the effect of simvastatin gel in the osseointegration of dental implants using bone scintigraphy, Materials and Methods: 20 participants with missing mandibular first molars and D2 type bone were assigned equally to Group A receiving 1.2% simvastatin and Group B receiving Placebo gels during the placement of implants. The participants were subjected to bone scintigraphy to determine the osteoblastic activity at baseline, 30th day and 90th day after implant placement. Group A revealed a significant increase in osteoblastic activity between baseline, day 30 and 90 (P<.05) with a higher mean of 100.06±21.644% on day 30. Group B revealed a significant increase in osteoblastic activity only between baseline and day 30, and baseline and day 90 (P<.05) whereas there was no difference between day 30 and 90 (P>.05) with a higher mean of 79.20±18.255% on day 30. Bivariate analysis at different time periods revealed a significant difference between groups A and B on day 30. Implants placed with 1.2% simvastatin gel showed enhanced osteoblastic activity on the fourth week of implant placement, indicating faster rate of osseointegration at an early stage.