Estrogen deficiency affects bone healing around titanium implants: a histometric study in rats

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of an estrogen-deficient state on bone around titanium implants placed in rats. Thirty female Wistar rats were divided into 2 groups: test (n = 15), ovariectomized rats (OVX); and control (n = 15), sham-operated rats. Screw-type titanium implants were placed bilaterally in rats 21 days after ovariectomy or sham surgery. After 60 days, the animals were killed and undecalcified sections obtained. Blood samples were collected to obtain serum levels of alkaline phosphatase at the time of killing. Bone-to-implant contact (BIC), bone area (BA) around the implants, and bone density (BD) in a 500 microns-wide zone lateral to the implant were obtained and arranged separately for the cortical (zone A) and cancellous (zone B) regions. In zone A, there was no significant difference between test and control groups regarding BIC and BD (P > 0.05). A lower BA was observed in the estrogen-deficient animals (P < 0.05). In zone B, data analysis showed that estrogen deficiency could result in a lower percentage of BIC, BA, and BD (P < 0.05). In addition, a higher concentration of alkaline phosphatase was observed for the test group. An estrogen-deficient state could affect bone healing and bone density around titanium implants placed in rats, especially in the cancellous bone area.