Effects of continual intermittent administration of parathyroid hormone on implant stability in the presence of osteoporosis: an in vivo study using resonance frequency analysis in a rabbit model

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of continual intermittent administration of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on implant stability in the presence of osteoporosis, using rabbit models. Material and Methods: Fifteen female New Zealand white rabbits underwent ovariectomy and were administered glucocorticoids to induce osteoporosis, following which they were divided into three groups. The first group received intermittent subcutaneous PTH for 4 weeks until implant placement (PTH1), while the second and third groups received PTH (PTH2) and saline (control), respectively, for 4 weeks before and after implant placement. After intermittent administration of PTH or saline, titanium implants were inserted into the left femoral epiphyses of all animals, and the implant stability quotient (ISQ) was measured immediately after placement to assess the primary stability and at 2 and 4 weeks after implant placement to assess osseointegration. At 4 weeks after implant placement, histological and histomorphometric evaluations were conducted and the bone area around the implant socket was measured as a ratio of the total bone area to the total tissue area. Results: Regarding primary stability, the ISQ values for the PTH1 and PTH2 groups were significantly higher than those for the control group (

Association between masticatory ability and oral functions

Mastication is the process of breaking ingested food with the teeth and mixing it with saliva to form a mass that is easy to swallow. However, few studies have reported on oral functions, such as occlusal force, tongue pressure, and mastication. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between masticatory function and oral functions, such as occlusal force and tongue pressure. In this study, there were 113 patients (41 men and 72 women; mean age, 68.4 ± 11.3 years) who visited dentists at the Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan between April 2015 and November 2018. Masticatory function of the patients was evaluated using a masticatory ability test system. In addition, occlusal force was measured using a pressure-sensitive film and the maximum tongue pressure was measured with a tongue pressure measuring device according to a conventional method. The relationship of masticatory ability with occlusal force and tongue pressure was examined using multivariate analysis while considering patients? age, gender, and the number of remaining teeth. Masticatory ability was significantly related to occlusal force, maximum tongue pressure, age, body mass index, the number of remaining teeth, and occlusal contact area (p< 0.05). Multiple regression analysis identified that masticatory ability was significantly associated (p< 0.05) with occlusal force and maximum tongue pressure. Masticatory ability was significantly associated with occlusal force and maximum tongue pressure, indicating that the large muscle mass in the oral cavity is indispensable for improving masticatory function

Investigation of Effective Modification Treatments for Titanium Membranes

Titanium membranes are used for guided bone regeneration in implant therapy. However, as a bioinert material, titanium does not have the ability to accelerate bone formation. Various titanium surface treatments to confer bioactivity have been demonstrated; however, there are concerns about the influence of chemical treatments for thin titanium membranes. This study investigated the influence of surface modifications on the structure of titanium membranes. Titanium membranes of 20 μm thickness were treated with acid or alkali solutions, and we evaluated their surface structure, wettability, thickness, and mechanical strength compared to non-treated membranes. Alkali-treated titanium membranes displayed the formation of nanoscale pore structures on their surfaces, enhanced hydrophilicity, and almost same thickness compared with acid-treated membranes. Furthermore, the tensile strength of alkali-treated membranes was comparable to non-treated membranes. These results suggest that alkali treatment is an appropriate surface modification method for titanium membranes

Osseointegration aspects of placed implant in bone reconstruction with newly developed block-type interconnected porous calcium hydroxyapatite

Artificial bone has been employed to reconstruct bone defects. However, only few reports on implant placement after block bone grafting exist. Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate the osseointegration of dental implant in bone reconstructions with interconnected porous calcium hydroxyapatite (IP-CHA). Material and Methods The IP-CHA cylinders (D; 4.3 mm, H; 10.0 mm) were placed into bone sockets in each side of the femurs of four male dogs. The IP-CHA on the right side was a 24-week sample. Twelve weeks after placement, a titanium implant was placed into a socket that was prepared in half of the placed IP-CHA cylinder on the right side. On the left side, another IP-CHA cylinder was placed as a 12-week sample. After another 12 weeks, the samples were harvested, and the bone regeneration and bone-implant contact (BIC) ratios were measured. Results New bone formation area was superior in the 24-week IP-CHA compared with the 12-week IP-CHA. BIC was not significantly different between IP-CHA and the parent sites. Osseointegration was detected around the implant in IP-CHA-reconstructed bone. Conclusion Our preliminary results suggest that IP-CHA may be a suitable bone graft material for reconstructing bones that require implant placement