Bone healing in rabbit femur defects using dendrophyllia cornigera-derived hydroxyapatite: a histological study

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel bone substitute derived from dendrophyllia cornigera in vivo and comparing it with spontaneous healing. Methods: This experimental study was conducted on experimental animals in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, Faculty of Dentistry. Two bone defects were created in the body of the femur of New Zealand white rabbits. The new material was implanted into one of the defects, while the other was left unfilled. Histological analysis was performed on samples taken after 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. A statistical comparison of new bone formation was made between the two study groups during different time periods. Results: The research sample consisted of 16 white New Zealand rabbits. All the animals survived and remained in good health without complications. There was no evidence of infection, necrosis, or fracture at the defect sites. There were no notable signs of inflammation, necrosis, or foreign body reactions. The graft particles were encapsulated by lamellar bone or in direct contact with it, indicating excellent osteoconductivity and biocompatibility. There were statistically significant differences in the average amount of new bone formed between the two study groups after 2 and 12 weeks, whereas there were no statistically significant differences between the two study groups after 4 and 8 weeks. Conclusions: The present histological investigation of rabbit femoral bone defects treated with dendrophyllia cornigera-derived bone substitutes demonstrated excellent biocompatibility of the biomaterial and pronounced new bone formation after a healing period of 12 weeks.