Stimulation of bone formation by dietary boron in an orthopedically expanded suture in rabbits.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of dietary boron on bone regeneration in rabbits in response to expansion of the midpalatal suture during different retention periods.


METHODS
Twenty-eight 12-week-old New Zealand white male rabbits were separated into four equal groups: group 1 (B+10) and group 2 (B-10) had retention periods of 10 days with or without boron intake, respectively. Group 3 (B+20, with boron) and group 4 (B-20, without boron) were retained for 20 days. All groups had a 5-day expansion period. For both B+ groups, boron was prepared in distilled water and given to the rabbits during their (1) nursery phase (40 days), (2) expansion phase, and (3) retention period at a dosage of 3 mg/kg daily by oral gavage. Bone regeneration in the midpalatal suture was evaluated by a bone histomorphometric method, and the mineralized area (Md.Ar), fibrosis area (Fb.Ar), mineralized area/fibrosis area (Md.Ar/Fb.Ar), bone area (B.Ar) and osteoblast number (N.Ob) parameters were evaluated.


RESULTS
Statistical analysis showed significant differences between groups for all investigated measurements. Md.Ar (P < .01), Md.Ar/Fb.Ar (P < .001), B.Ar (P < .01), and N.Ob (P < .01) parameters were increased and Fb.Ar (P < .01) was decreased in groups B+10 and B+20. No significant differences were observed during an additional 10-day retention period in all groups (P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Boron has a positive effect on the early phase of bone regeneration of the midpalatal suture in response to expansion and may be beneficial in routine maxillary expansion procedures.
Uysal
Tancan
T
Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey. tancanuysal@yahoo.com
Ustdal
Ayca
A
Sonmez
Mehmet Fatih
MF
Ozturk
Figen
F
D000818:Animals; D001861:Bone Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001895:Boron / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003393:Cranial Sutures / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010155:Palatal Expansion Technique; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000502:physiology*; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation
D018977:Micronutrients; D001895:Boron