Development of an optimal interface between bone and orthopaedic or dental implants has taken place for many years. In order to determine whether a newly developed implant material conforms to the requirements of biocompatibility, mechanical stability and safety, it must undergo rigorous testing both in vitro and in vivo. Results from in vitro studies can be difficult to extrapolate to the in vivo situation. For this reason the use of animal models is often an essential step in the testing of orthopaedic and dental implants prior to clinical use in humans. This review discusses some of the more commonly available and frequently used animal models such as the dog, sheep, goat, pig and rabbit models for the evaluation of bone-implant interactions. Factors for consideration when choosing an animal model and implant design are discussed. Various bone specific features are discussed including the usage of the species, bone macrostructure and microstructure and bone composition and remodelling, with emphasis being placed on the similarity between the animal model and the human clinical situation. While the rabbit was the most commonly used of the species discussed in this review, it is clear that this species shows the least similarities to human bone. There were only minor differences in bone composition between the various species and humans. The pig demonstrates a good likeness with human bone, however difficulties may be encountered in relation to their size and ease of handling. In this respect the dog and sheep/ goat show more promise as animal models for the testing of bone implant materials. While no species fulfils all of the requirements of an ideal model, an understanding of the differences in bone architecture and remodelling will assist in the selection of a suitable model for a defined research question.

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Demographic changes in the age structure of occidental populations are giving rise to osteoporosis and associated fractures, which are becoming a major public health burden. Various animal models have been established and used to investigate the pathogenesis of osteoporosis and to facilitate the preclinical testing of new treatment options such as antiresorptive drugs. Although osteoporosis can be induced in animals, spontaneous fractures without adequate trauma were only found in nonhuman primates. An animal model designed to investigate new ways to treat fractures of osteoporotic bone has to fulfill requirements that are very different from those of pharmacological testing. The aspects of major interest in orthopedic applications are bone fragility, efficacy of implant fixation and bone healing. Existing animal models for osteoporosis were critically reviewed focusing on these aspects. The advantages and disadvantages of the models with regard to their application in the testing of new fracture-fixation devices or biological approaches to stimulate bone healing are discussed. Ovariectomy alone does not cause the bone loss seen in osteoporotic human patients. New models to simulate fracture of osteoporotic bone need to be explored and used to address the specific aims of an experiment.

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