Effect of Alendronate on Endosseous Implant Integration: An In Vivo Study in Rabbits
Purpose
Alendronate sodium (Fosamax; Merck, Whitehouse Station, NJ) is a second-generation bisphosphonate used widely in osteopenic individuals for decreasing bone resorption and increasing bone density. The ability of alendronate to affect systemic bone remodeling raises natural questions about the drug’s influence on dental implant osseointegration. Current knowledge regarding the effect of systemic bisphosphonates, specifically alendronate, on all 3 phrases of osseointegration is incomplete and only a few studies have started to investigate peri-implant bone responses to alendronate-coated implants. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of systemic alendronate therapy on osseointegration of dental implants based on torque-removal values in rabbits.
Materials and Methods
Identical titanium dental implants were placed using a standardized surgical protocol in the bilateral distal femur and proximal tibia of 20 New Zealand white rabbits (79 implants total). One week before implant placement, 10 rabbits were given doses of alendronate and continued on weekly dosing for 5 weeks until euthanized. The other 10 rabbits were untreated controls. Torque-removal values were determined using a Tohinichi 15-BTG torque wrench (Tohinichi Mfg Co, Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) for all implants.
Results
Analysis of torque data showed no statistical differences between the alendronate and control groups in both femur and tibia sites. A statistically significant difference, however, was noted in torque removal values between femur and tibia sites regardless of drug or non-drug groups.
Conclusions
In summary, orally dosed alendronate administration in rabbits had no significant effect on dental implant torque-removal values 6 weeks after endosseous placement in femur and tibia.
⁎Assistant Professor, Interim Section Head, Residency Program Director, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Section of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Anesthesiology, and Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
†Formerly, Chief Resident, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH; Currently, Private Practice in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, St. Cloud, MN.
‡Professor, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Section of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Anesthesiology, and Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
§Associate Professor, Section of Oral Biology, College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
∥Associate Professor, Director of Implant Prosthodontics, Section of Restorative and Prosthodontics, College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Chacon: 305 W, 12th Avenue, Box 182357, Columbus, OH 43218-2357
This study was financed in part by a grant from Altiva Corporation.
ABSTRACT