Chronodynamic evaluation of the stages of osseointegration in zirconium laminar implants

Osteogenesis occurs throughout all stages in life, due to both bone turnover and reparative processes. Thus, osseointegration (OI) can be described as the final step in a cascade of processes involved in bone healing in relation to implants. Ten groups of 5 Wistar rats each (mean = 90 g b.w.) were used. Under ether anesthesia a zirconium laminar implant was placed in the tibia following the method previously described by our laboratory (Cabrini et al Imp Dent 2:264-7, 1993). The animals were killed at Ohs, and 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, and 60 days post-implantation. Tibiae were resected, radiographed and processed for their embedding in methyl methacrylate. Three sections, perpendicular to the major axis of the tibia, were obtained per implant and histologic and histomorphometric studies were carried out. Volume occupied by blood clot, woven bone, percentage of OI and OI bone tissue thickness, were determined. Histologic and histomorphometric studies as function of time revealed: a) at 6 days the presence of non-osseointegrated woven bone around the device is evident increasing in volume from 7 to 10 days post-implantation, and disappearing from day 12 to 14., b) at 14 days after implantation lamellar bone formation on the surface of the zirconium implants (OI) is noticeable. Additional bone growth is observed after 60 days. This study enables quantification of peri-implant reparative process response in an unloaded, necrotic trabeculae free model showing, in the different phases of the osseointegration process, the role of the blood clot and of the appearance and disappearance of woven bone and the final stages of osseointegration. Further investigation will allow comparison of results obtained under the effect of local and/or systemic factors that might affect osseointegration.