The effect of early loading on the direct bone-to-implant surface contact of the orthodontic osseointegrated titanium implant

Lee, Sung Ja; Chung, Kyu Rhim

Abstract

The orthodontic osseointegrated titanium implant, a kind of intraoral skeletal anchorage can be an alternative to tooth-borne anchorage, in case that the conventional tooth-borne anchorage is not available or the anchorage is critical. This study was conducted to elucidate the effect of early loading on the osseointegration of the orthodontic titanium implant and the healing process of the impaired bone at the site of implant after removing it. In two adult beagle dogs 24 osseointegrated titanium implants were inserted into the alveolar bone, with 12 implants placed in each dog. In dog1, 6 out of 12 implants were loaded with 200-300gm of force immediately after placing, and the remaining 6 implants were not loaded for 4weeks. In dog2, all 12 implants had healing period of 4weeks, and then were loaded with 200-300gm of force for another 4weeks. Following an observation period of 4 and 8 weeks, the animals were sacrificed. Then the implants and the surrounding bone of dog1 and dog2 were removed, respectively. Undecalcified sections along the long axis of implant were made and the degree of osseointegration was examined under the light microscope. The results were as follows. 1. In the histologic features of tissues around implants anchored in dog1, there was no difference between immediately loaded implants and unloaded implants. Immature woven bone was ingrowing into the thread spaces from the original compacta and in direct contact with the implant surface in part. 2. The premature loading just after 4weeks healing period did not halt the progress of the osseointegration between bone and implant surface. The woven bone around the implants was maturing into the lamellar bone which resembled the structure of the original compacta at the end of 8weeks observation period. 3. Most implants with the inflammed surrounding mucosa were lost or mobile. The mobile implants were encapsulated by fibrous connective tissue which separated the implant surface from the bone. 4. The impaired bone at the site of the implant failed to anchor was showing recovery without inflammatory reaction 2weeks after removing, with the immaure woven bone lined by active osteoblasts and osteoid. Based on the results of this study, the integration of this orthodontic implant seemed to be impaired by the inflammation of the tissue surrounding the implant rather than by early loading on implant, and increased with time lapsed after placing the implant. The use of implant described in this report can be recommended as an orthodontic anchorage unit immediately after insertion under the careful control of orthodontic force applied and plaque.