Mandibular bone remodeling after β-tricalcium phosphate transplantation: morphological and radiographic aspects

This article presents the research results of the morphological, radiological, and lectin-histochemical characteristics of bone-ceramic regenerate after β-tricalcium phosphate transplantation into an experimental defect in the rabbit mandible, since complete and high-quality regeneration of maxillofacial bones, its mechanisms and dynamics remain not fully understood, need clarification and detailing. Aim. To study in an experiment the dynamics of changes in the lower jaw bone after its traumatic injury with subsequent replacement of the defect with β-tricalcium phosphate. Methods. Experiments were conducted on 45 male rabbits aged 6-7 months, weighing 2.5-3.0 kg. 20 animals constituted the control group, and 20 the experimental group. Another 5 intact animals were used to study the normal structure of the bone tissue of the studied area of the mandible. The control group included animals with a bone tissue defect that healed under a blood clot. The experimental group consisted of rabbits where the bone defect was filled with β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP). The following methods were employed: bone defect modeling, assessment of jaw macrostructure, radiographic examination, radiovisiography, examination of bone sections under a microscope, and lectin-histochemical analysis of decalcified bone sections. Post-traumatic bone tissue status within the defect area was monitored for 84 days using the following methods: bone defect modeling, assessment of jaw macrostructure, radiographic examination, radiovisiography, examination of bone sections under a microscope, and lectin-histochemical analysis of decalcified bone sections. Results. Macroscopic examination of the mandible experimental bone defect after implantation of β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) revealed numerous regenerative changes that occurred following trauma. These changes correlated with radiographic findings, which allowed to track all major stages of bone injury healing – from the acute inflammatory phase followed by the repair phase and the bone remodeling phase. Conclusion. β-tricalcium phosphate demonstrated sufficient effectiveness in bone regeneration after trauma, both at the defect site and in positively influencing the repair and remodeling processes of damaged bone.