Does longstanding nicotine exposure impair bone healing and osseointegration? An experimental study in rabbits.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of longstanding nicotine exposure on bone healing and osseointegration of titanium implants.


METHODS
20 female rabbits received either nicotine (n = 10) or saline (n = 10) administered subcutaneously via mini-osmotic pumps for 32 weeks. The pump delivered 6 microg/kg/min of nicotine for the animals in the test group. Blood samples were collected and plasma cotinine levels were measured monthly. Six months after the commencement of nicotine or saline administration three osteotomy preparations, one in right, femoral condyle and two in the right tibia were made. One experimental implant was placed in the femur site and one in the most distal preparation of the tibia. The remaining site in the tibia was left empty. The osteotomy preparation and implant installation procedure was repeated in the left leg of the rabbits after 2 weeks. The implants in the tibial site were subjected to removal torque test (RMT) 2 weeks later. Block biopsies of the two other osteotomy sites were prepared for histological analysis.


RESULTS
Although no differences in RMT values were found between test and control groups, there was a significant increase in RMT between 2 and 4 weeks within each group. The histomorphometric analysis of bone-to-implant contact and bone density in the bone defects revealed no differences between the test and the control group after 2 or 4 weeks of healing.


CONCLUSIONS
Longstanding (6 months) nicotine exposure did not impair bone healing and osseointegration of titanium implants.
Gotfredsen
Klaus
K
Department of Oral Rehabilitation, School of Dentistry, Health Science Faculty, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Lindh
Christian H
CH
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
Berglundh
Tord
T
Department of Periodontology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D001846:Bone Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000187:drug effects*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000633:toxicity*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000633:toxicity*; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011817:Rabbits; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014025:Titanium
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; C009495:titanium dioxide; D009538:Nicotine; D014025:Titanium; D003367:Cotinine