Bone healing after the inferior alveolar nerve lateralization: a histologic study in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this article is to evaluate the bone healing around 2 different dental implant surfaces after the lateralization surgery of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) during an 8-week healing period in rabbits, and to check if there is any interaction between the implants and the nerve.


METHODS
The IAN lateralization was performed in an experimental rabbit model. Eight adult female rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) underwent the surgical procedure, and 1 implant was placed on each side of the mandible while the nerve was lateralized. On both sides, the nerve was repositioned directly in contact with the implant surface. With the intention of obtaining comparative results, smooth titanium implants were installed on the right side, and blasted Al2O3 ones were placed on the left. During the healing period, bone tracers were administered subcutaneously to check different periods of bone ingrowth.


RESULTS
Histologic section, regardless of the studied surface, showed bone remodeling around the nerve, without contact between the nerve and the implanted surface. The bone blocks containing implants were histomorphometrically examined through computerized analysis, and the results obtained showed that the bone remodeling around the nerve occurred during the first weeks of healing. Through analysis of variance, the blasted Al2O3 implants showed at least 2.5-fold greater bone neoformation compared with the smooth titanium implants.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results showed that there was no significant difference in the healing process concerning the nerve between the 2 studied surfaces. No interaction was detected between the nerve and the implants.
Yoshimoto
Marcelo
M
Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, Brazil. cosexpedito@terra.com.br
König
Bruno
B
Allegrini
Sergio
S
de Carvalho Lopes
Claudia
C
Carbonari
Marcelo José
MJ
Liberti
Edson Aparecido
EA
Adami
Nelson
N
D020906:Air Abrasion, Dental; D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000737:chemistry; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D016723:Bone Remodeling / Q000502:physiology; D015921:Dental Implants; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D005260:Female; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008340:Mandibular Nerve / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D023421:Models, Animal; D016348:Osseointegration; D011817:Rabbits; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
D015921:Dental Implants; D014025:Titanium; D000537:Aluminum Oxide