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. 2015;88(3):408-14.
doi: 10.15386/cjmed-479. Epub 2015 Jul 1.

Micro-CT and histological analysis of Ti6Al7Nb custom made implants with hydroxyapatite and SiO2-TiO2 coatings in a rabbit model

Gabriel Armencea  1 , Cristian Berce  2 , Horatiu Rotaru  1 , Simion Bran  1 , Dan Leordean  3 , Camelia Coada  4 , Milica Todea  5 , Camelia Augusta Jula  6 , Dan Gheban  7 , Grigore Baciut  1 , Mihaela Baciut  1 , Radu Septimiu Campian  8
Affiliations

Micro-CT and histological analysis of Ti6Al7Nb custom made implants with hydroxyapatite and SiO2-TiO2 coatings in a rabbit model

Gabriel Armencea et al. Clujul Med. 2015.

Abstract

Background and aim: Bone defect reconstruction in the maxillofacial area comes as a necessity after traumatic, oncological or congenital pathology. Custom made implant manufacturing, such as selective laser melting (SLM), is very helpful when bone reconstruction is needed. In the present study we assessed the osseointegration of custom made implants made of Ti6Al7Nb with two different coatings: SiO2-TiO2 and hydroxyapatite, by comparing the bone mineral density (BMD) measured on micro-CT and the histological mineralized bone surrounding the implants.

Methods: Custom made - cylindrical type - implants were produced by selective laser melting, coated with SiO2-TiO2 and hydroxyapatite and implanted in the rabbit femur. The animals (divided into 3 groups) were sacrificed at 1, 3 and 6 months and the implants were removed together with the surrounding bone. Bone mineral density and histological examination of the bone-implant surface was performed for each group.

Results: BMD and histological examination of the samples determined the quantity of mineralized bone at the implant site, showing a good percentage of mineralized bone for the coated implants at 1, 3 and 6 months. The measurements for the implants without coating showed a significant lower quantity of mineralized bone at 3 months compared with the implants with coating, and a good quantity of mineralized bone at 6 months, showing a process of demineralization followed by remineralization in the last month. The measurements of BMD showed similar results with the histological examination.

Conclusions: The use of micro-CT and the measurement of BMD are a reliable, minimally invasive and a quick method of osseointegration assessment.

Keywords: SLM; Ti6Al7Nb; custom made implant; implant coating; micro-CT; osseointegration.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Implants with SiO2-TiO2 (left) and HA (right) coating.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Intra-operative image of implant placement.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Micro-CT reconstruction and BMD determination for Ti6Al7Nb – HA at 1 month.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Image at 50× magnification showing mineralized bone (blue) at three months for Ti6Al7Nb (a), Ti6Al7Nb - SiO2–TiO2 (b) and Ti6Al7Nb - HA (c).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Mineralized bone for the 3 samples.
Figure 6
Figure 6
BMD for the 3 samples.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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