Objective: Osteoporosis is a risk factor for implant fixation failure. The inhibition of sclerostin effectively improves bone formation and bone remodeling. Therefore, this study investigated whether SOST deficiency enhances the osseointegration of implants in a mouse model of osteoporosis induced by ovariectomy (OVX).
Design: Osteoporosis was induced in female C57BL/6 and SOST deficient mice by OVX. Titanium implants were placed in the bilateral distal aspects of the femurs. Implants underwent sandblasting and acid-etching after which the structure, surface roughness and chemical components were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy spectrum analyses. Undecalcified slices, μ-CT, histology analyses and mechanical tests were used to evaluate the osseointegration of implants. The results were compared using one-way ANOVA between four groups.
Results: Sandblasting and acid-etching increased the roughness of the implants. OVX surgery reduced bone formation around the implants in both WT and SOST-/- mice. However, implant osseointegration was significantly improved in the SOST-/- OVX mice compared to the WT OVX mice.
Conclusions: Inhibition of the SOST gene improved implant fixation in the OVX osteoporotic mice, which suggests a strategy for enhancing implant osseointegration in clinical patients with osteoporosis.
Keywords: Implant; Osseointegration; Osteoporosis; Sclerostin.
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