Proposal for a new site to insertion of dental implants for osseointegration test: Research methodology

Abstract

Background: The objective of this paper was to present a methodology for osseointegration in rat mandibles. Materials and Methods: A total of 16 Wistar male rats with 400 g were undergone to anesthesia, and then blunt instruments were used to expose the alveolar inferior nerve. Once the nerve canal was emptied, one implant (2.2 mm × 4 mm) was installed near the mandibular canal. The animals were sacrificed within the experimental period of 15 (n = 8) and 30 (n = 8) days. The histomorphometric analysis included both boneimplant contact and bone area. Results: In a comparison of the variables between 15 and 30 days, there were differences in bone maturation (Student's parametric test for independent samples -P < 0.05). In addition, the technique was shown to be reproducible and performed at a lower cost compared with histological studies involving other animals. Conclusion: This specific technique of placing implants into the mandibles of rats is a viable alternative in studies of this nature.