title: Bone tissue responses to glass fiber-reinforced composite implants--a histomorphometric study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to evaluate bone-to-implant contact (BIC) and the osteoconductive capacity of bioactive fiber-reinforced composite implant (FRC) in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Threaded sand-blasted FRC implants and threaded FRC implants with bioactive glass (BAG) were fabricated for the study. Titanium implants were used as a reference. Eighteen implants (diameter 4.1 mm, length 10 mm) were implanted in the tibia of six pigs using the press-fit technique. The animals were sacrificed after 4 and 12 weeks. Histomorphometric and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analyses were performed to characterize BIC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In general, the highest values of BIC were measured in FRC-BAG implants, followed by FRC and Ti implants. At 4 weeks, the BIC was 33% for threaded FRC-BAG, 27% for FRC and 19% for Ti. At 12 weeks, BIC was 47% for threaded FRC-BAG, 40% for FRC and 42% for Ti. Four weeks after implantation, all the implants appeared biologically fixed by a newly formed woven bone arranged in the thin bone trabeculae filling the gap between the implant and the bone of the recipient site. Twelve weeks after implantation, the thickness of the woven bone trabeculae had increased, especially around the FRC-BAG implants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that the FRC implant is biocompatible in bone. The biological behavior of FRC was comparable to that of Ti after 4 and 12 weeks of implantation. Furthermore, the addition of BAG to the FRC implant increased peri-implant osteogenesis and bone maturation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomaterials Science, Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. ahmbal@utu.fi
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ballo
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Akca
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ozen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lassila
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Vallittu
authors.forename: T O
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Närhi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015921:Dental Implants; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D005260:Female; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry; D020007:Implants, Experimental; D016348:Osseointegration / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013552:Swine; D013977:Tibia / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D014025:Titanium
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003188:Composite Resins; D015921:Dental Implants; C009753:fiberglass; D014025:Titanium