Histomorphometric Evaluation of Bone Formation in Peri-Implant Defects Treated With Different Regeneration Techniques: An Experimental Study in a Rabbit Model

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the healing of artificially created peri-implant circumferential bone defects using three bone-regeneration techniques. Rabbit tibias (24 rabbits), in which bone defects (9-mm diameter, 4-mm depth) were created and implant beds (3-mm diameter, 6-mm depth) were prepared in the middle of the created defects, were used as the experimental model. Dental implants (3.0 × 10mm) were inserted, and the peri-implant bone defects were grafted with demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft (DFDBA) plus saline solution, DFDBA plus platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), or DFDBA plus rifamycin. After 4weeks, the animals were euthanized and the implants with surrounding bone were removed. Undecalcified histomorphometric examinations with toluidine blue staining were performed, and the bone-to-implant contact (BIC) and percentage of new bone formation were evaluated. The BIC was 50.94% ± 24.39% in the DFDBA-plus-saline solution group, 60.07% ± 4.91% in the DFDBA-plus-rifamycin group, and 73.43% ± 3.86% in the DFDBA-plus-PRF group. The percentage of new bone formation at the defect area was 37.61% ± 1.70% in the DFDBA-plus-saline solution group, 48.51% ± 2.80% in the DFDBA-plus-rifamycin group, and 63.09% ± 2.10% in the DFDBA-plus-PRF group. In terms of new bone formation and BIC, the DFDBA-plus-PRF and DFDBA-plus-rifamycin groups were significantly different from the DFDBA-plus-saline solution group. The difference between the DFDBA-plus-PRF and DFDBA-plus-rifamycin groups was also statistically significant. The addition of PRF or rifamycin to DFDBA had a significant positive effect on bone healing in peri-implant bone defects. The DFDBA-plus-PRF group showed the highest percentages of new bone formation and BIC.