Bone tissue responses to bioactive fiber-reinforced composite implants

Abstract

Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate bone-to-implant contact (BIC) and the osteoconductive capacity of bioactive fiber-reinforced composite implant (FRC) in vivo. Materials and Methods: Threaded sand blasted FRC implants and threaded FRC implants with bioactive glass (BAG) were fabricated for the study. Titanium implants were used as a reference. Eighteen implants (diameter 4.1mm, length 10mm) were implanted in the tibia of six pigs using the press fit technique. The animals were sacrificed after 4 and 12 weeks. Histomorphometric and SEM analyses were performed to characterize BIC. Results: In general, the highest values of BIC were measured in FRC-BAG implants, followed by FRC and Ti implants. At 4 weeks, the BIC was 33 % for threaded FRC-BAG, 27 % for FRC and 19 % for Ti. At 12weeks, BIC was 47 % for threaded FRC-BAG, 40 % for FRC and 42 % for Ti. Four weeks after implantation, all the implants appeared biologically fixed by a newly formed woven bone arranged in the thin bone trabeculae filling the gap between the implant and the host bone. Twelve weeks after implantation, the thickness of the woven bone trabeculae had increased, especially around the FRC-BAG implants.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that the FRC implant is biocompatible in bone. The biological behavior of FRC was comparable to that of Ti after 4 and 12 weeks of implantation. Furthermore, the addition of BAG to the FRC implant increased peri-implant osteogenesis and bone maturation.