Journal of Oral Tissue Engineering

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
 In Vivo Evaluation of Noble Porous Apatite Disks Implanted in Rat Critical-size Calvarial Defects by Micro-CT and Histological Observations

 Wataru HATAKEYAMA1, Masayuki TAIRA2, Kouji IKEDA1, Kyoko TAKAFUJI1, Hidemichi KIHARA1, Hisatomo KONDO1 and Masayuki HATTORI2
1Department of Prosthodontics and Oral Implantology, Iwate Medical University School of Dentistry, Iwate, Japan
2Department of Biomedical Engineering, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
J Oral Tissue Engin 2014;12(1):13-19
SYNOPSIS
Noble fibrous porous apatite disks have recently been produced. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of porous apatite disks as osteo-conductive absorbable bio-material by using animal model. Critical-size bone defects were generated in the cranial bones of six Wistar rats, in which porous apatite disks (6 x 1 mm) were implanted. Micro-computed tomography (CT) revealed that mean opacity values of the cranial defect zones implanted with porous apatite disks significantly increased from 3 days to 4 weeks (p < 0.01); but was similar between at 4 weeks and at 8 weeks. After feeding for 8 weeks, the rats were sacrificed. Histological observations revealed that porous apatite disks implanted in rat cranial defect zones for 8 weeks were partially absorbed, while new bone was formed in and near the bio-absorbed regions. Taken together, it was considered that porous apatite disks could be employed as new osteo-conductive and slightly-absorbable bone substitute materials.

Key words: Apatite, Fibrous disk, Osteo-conduction, Micro-CT, Histological observation