Title: The slow release of BMP-7 at a low dose accelerates dental implant healing in an osteopenic environment

Authors: EB Hunziker, Y Liu, M Muff, T Haegi, N Shintani, K Lippuner

Address: Departments of Osteoporosis and Orthopaedic Surgery, Inselspital Bern University Hospital, Freiburgstrasse 3, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland

E-mail: ernst.hunziker at dbmr.unibe.ch

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate in vivo whether bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) was able to promote and accelerate dental implant healing at a low dose in an osteopenic environment by using a delayed drug-release system.
Skeletally mature Chinese goats, having physiologically osteopenic (osteoporotic-like) facial bones, served as an animal model. Dental implants were provided with a delayed-release drug-delivery system and BMP-7 was applied at three different dosages. The implants, inserted into healed extraction sockets, were removed 1, 2 and 3 weeks after surgery. Quantification of osseointegration and formation of new bone in the peri- implant space were measured histomorphometrically.
Data revealed no evidence of any adverse drug effect at or near the implantation sites. After the first postoperative week, bone neoformation was minimal; after the second week, peri-implant bone formation appeared, particularly in the groups with low dosages of BMP-7. After 3 weeks, new-bone volume was the largest in the group with the lowest (near-physiological) dosage of BMP-7, also showing the highest efficacy of BMP-7. Other dosage or release modes were found to be significantly less effective.
BMP-7 was highly efficacious in promoting and accelerating bone formation in the peri-implant space in a hostile osteopenic environment if released by a slow-mode mechanism over time at near physiological activities. Therefore, biological functionalisation of dental implants by a high-power osteogenic factor may improve their healing success in hostile bony environments (osteopenia, osteoporosis, bone atrophy etc.).

Key Words: Dental implant healing, osteopenia, osteoporosis, osteoinduction, bone morphogenetic protein-7, slow-release system, improved safety, enhanced efficacy.

Publication date: February 13th 2021

Article download: Pages 170-183 (PDF file)
DOI: 10.22203/eCM.v041a12