Effect of the difference of bone turnover on peri‐titanium implant osteogenesis in ovariectomized rats

Abstract High and low bone turnover situations, both of which are typically observed as postmenopausal and senile osteoporosis, were created by ovariectomy (OVX), and then an investigation of whether or not the difference of bone turnover affected peri‐titanium (Ti) implant osteogenesis in rats was conducted. Female rats were divided into four groups. The experimental and control groups underwent OVX or sham operations at 15 or 27 weeks of age, as high or low bone turnover groups, respectively. Ti implants were inserted into the tibiae at 30 weeks, then fluorochromes were injected 10 or 20 days after the implantation for histometry. The implants were retained for 30 days and then ground sections were prepared. Afterward, the cortical bone growth rate, bone contact ratio (BCR) of the implant in both the cortical bone area and medullary canal area, and the average trabecular bone thickness around the implant were evaluated. Biochemical markers of bone turnover were also measured. Biochemical measurements indicated both increasing osteocalcin production in OVX rats and decreasing tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase activity in the low‐turnover group. Histometrical measurements showed decreasing cortical growth and low BCR in the medullary canal of the low‐turnover group. The high‐turnover group demonstrated BCR as high as that of the control group. There was no significant difference in the average trabecular bone thickness around the implant among the groups. As a result, two types of osteoporotic situations were confirmed and it was shown that the difference of bone turnover was clearly due to the diverse osteogenesis around the Ti implant. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 70A: 497–505, 2004