Effect of doxycycline doped bone substitute on vertical bone augmentation on rat calvaria.

Bio-Oss (BO), one of the bone substitutes, is extensively used for augmentation in dental field because it is highly biocompatible and osteoconductive, which however does not stimulate bone formation. Doxycycline (DOX), a widely-used antibiotic, shows inhibitory effects on inflammation and osteoclastogenesis, and it has been reported to stimulate bone formation. The objective of this study is to investigate the vertical bone formation with DOX doped BO in guided bone regeneration on rat calvaria. Forty rats underwent calvarial vertical augmentation surgeries. Twenty rats received BO whereas the others received DOX doped BO. The calvarias were harvested and analyzed radiologically, histologically and with RT-PCR at 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively. At 4 weeks, the area of mineralized new bone statistically increased in BO+DOX compared to BO, upregulations of TGFβ1, BMP2 and β-catenin were evident in BO+DOX. The present study demonstrates that BO+DOX improve vertical bone augmentation.