Histomorphometric analyses of hydroxyapatite-coated and uncoated titanium dental implants in rabbit cortical bone.

In this article, we report the results of analyses of bone healing around four types of dental implants. Five implants of each type were inserted into the proximal tibia metaphysis of adult New Zealand rabbits and were analyzed using computerized histomorphometry 12 weeks after implantation. Hydroxyapatite-coated implants showed more direct bone contact and more lamellar bone in the threads than the titanium implants. There was a significant correlation between an increase in the percentage of mineralized tissue in the threads of metallic implants and cellular density around the implant, indicating less lamellar bone in contact with metallic implants.