Bone Formation and Microvascular Changes after Placement of Sandblasted and Acid-etched (SLA) and Titanium Plasma-splayed (TPS) Implants in Dogs

In this study we investigated vascular regeneration and bone formation in regard to the morphological view and image analysis.The mandibular molars of beagle dogs were extracted, and healing was allowed for 90 days. A sandblasted and acid-etched (SLA) implant was inserted on one side and as a control, a titanium plasma-splayed (TPS) implant was inserted on the contralateral side. Vascular resin injection was given at 3 and 6 weeks after the implantation. Specimens were freeze dried, and observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM).At 3 weeks after the implantation, the bone surface of the SLA implant was relatively smooth and there were some osseous lacunae. In contrast, rough, porous bone tissue was formed in the TPS implant and the bone surface had more lacunae than the SLA implant. At 6 weeks vessels in the osseous lacunae on the bone surface of the SLA implants, were reduced, while new bone formation was not completed around the TPS implants. On image analysis, a higher bone contact ratio was noted in the SLA group (54.7% 3W, 70.8% at 6W) than the TPS group (48.3% 3W, 60.6% at 6W).These result suggests that a surface treatment for implants can accelerate the regeneration of perimplant bone and blood vessels.