RESUMEN
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a lower dose of parathyroid hormone- PTH (1-34) on osteogenic potential of bone healing around titanium implants inserted into the tibia of rats. A blind parallel study was conducted in 45 adult male Wistar rats. Each rat received one titanium implant (4.5 x 2.2 mm) and was randomly assigned to receive subcutaneous injections, three times/week for 30 days, of the following treatments: group 1 - 40 µg/kg of PTH (1-34) (n=15); group 2 - 2 µg/kg of PTH (1-34) (n=15) and; group 3 - only the vehicle required for hormone dissolution (n=15). Thirty days after surgery, the animals were sacrificed and specimens containing the implant and the surrounding bone were removed and processed for non-decalcified sections. The sections were evaluated according to the following histometric parameters: proportion of mineralized tissue (PMT) adjacent to the implant threads (500 µm band); bone filling within the limits of the threads (BF) and; bone-to-implant contact (BIC). For the cortical region, both hormone dosages (groups 1 and 2) promoted better results, for all parameters, when compared to control group (p<0.05). Similar results were observed for the BF parameter in the cancellous region (p=0.0394). Therefore, systemic administration of PTH (1-34) stimulates bone formation around titanium implants, even at low doses.