An Experimental Study on the Healing Process after the Implantation of Various Bone Substitutes in the Rats

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the tissue response in applying of various bone substitutes included toothash-plaster mixture, resorbable hydroxylapatite (HA) and demineralized freeze-dried bone and to show the clinical usefulness of toothash-plaster mixture for the repair of craniomaxillofacial bone defect. For this experiment, 100 Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 200gm or more were used. There were four experimental groups: group I, toothash-plaster mixture; group II, demineralized freeze-dried bone; group III, resorbable HA; and group IV, control group. A full thickness, round bone defect measuring 10mm in diameter was created in the midcranium, and the substitutes cited above were embedded in the experimental rats based on their group assignment. Blood clot was filled in the rats assigned to the control group. Experimental rats were sacrificed on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 8th, 12th and 24th week after implantation and stained with the hematoxylin-eosin, Masson's Trichrome, using Van Gieson's stain method, and were examined under light microscope. The results were as follows: 1. In all the groups, prominent inflammatory reaction and the infiltration of multinucleated giant cells were noted during the early stage. Gradual healing decreased this reaction. 2. Among the rats in the experimental group II, which were given demineralized freeze-dried bone implants, active formation of new bone traveculae manifested. Chondroid tissues appeared, and it was suggested that the defect was filled with newly formed bone by virtue of osteoinductive activity. On the 12th week after the experiments, most of the defect was filled with newly formed bone trabeculae. 3. In experimental groups I and III, it was noted that HA manifested a healing process similar to that characterized by the toothash-plaster mixture, but inflammatory reaction was more prominent in experimental group I. Active osteoblasts were observed along the periphery of osteoid tissues, while newly formed bone trabeculae appeared adjacent to the implanted materials three weeks later. Formation increased to the extent that newly formed bone trabeculae fused directly with the host bone. Increase in new bone ingrowth into the filling materials was revealed by both experimental groups. 4. In the control group, new bone formation adjacent to the host bone was observed, but most of the defect was filled with mature connective tissue 24 weeks after the experiments.