A novel experimental approach to evaluate guided bone regeneration (GBR) in the rat femur using a 3D-printed CAD/CAM zirconia space-maintaining barrier

Alexandru Petre; Cornel Balta; Hildegard Herman; Sami Gharbia; Ada Codreanu; Bianca Onita-Mladin; Nicoleta Anghel-Zurbau; Andrei-Gelu Hermenean; Simona-Rebeca Ignat; Sorina Dinescu; Iuliana Urzica; Sergiu Drafta; Luminita Oancea; Anca Hermenean

doi:10.1016/j.jare.2020.07.012

A novel experimental approach to evaluate guided bone regeneration (GBR) in the rat femur using a 3D-printed CAD/CAM zirconia space-maintaining barrier

J Adv Res. 2020 Jul 23:28:221-229. doi: 10.1016/j.jare.2020.07.012. eCollection 2021 Feb.

Authors

Alexandru Petre¹, Cornel Balta², Hildegard Herman², Sami Gharbia^{2

3}, Ada Codreanu⁴, Bianca Onita-Mladin², Nicoleta Anghel-Zurbau⁴, Andrei-Gelu Hermenean⁵, Simona-Rebeca Ignat³, Sorina Dinescu³, Iuliana Urzica⁶, Sergiu Drafta¹, Luminita Oancea¹, Anca Hermenean^{2

4

3}

Affiliations

¹ Occlusion and Fixed Prosthodontic Department, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
² "Aurel Ardelean" Institute of Life Sciences, Vasile Goldis Western University of Arad, Romania.
³ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Bucharest, Romania.
⁴ Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Vasile Goldis Western University of Arad, Romania.
⁵ Faculty of Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
⁶ National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics, Lasers Department, Bucharest, Romania.

Abstract

Introduction: Obtaining a certain bone volume is an important goal in implantology or orthopedics. Thus, after tooth extraction, quite a lot of horizontal and vertical alveolar bone is lost in time and can be detrimental to the implant treatment outcome, while the treatment of critical bone defects is a considerable challenge for surgery.

Objectives: In this study we designed a new in vivo model as an useful experimental tool to assess guided bone regeneration (GBR) using a computer-aided design/manufacturing (CAD-CAM) space-maintaining barrier.

Methods: The barrier was 3D printed with three progressive heights, surgically placed on rat femur, and GBR results were analyzed at 2, 4, and 8 weeks by X-ray and bone mineral density analysis, histology/morphometry and by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry for osteogenesis and angiogenesis evaluation.

Results: The obtained results show that the proposed experimental model provides a real-time useful information on progressive bone tissue formation, which depends on the volume of isolated space created for GBR and on molecular events that lead to satisfactory vertical and horizontal bone augmentation and osteointegration.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the proposed customized three-dome space-maintaining barrier is suitable as an experimental tool to assess the potential of using the designed barriers in dentistry and orthopedics to promote the formation of new bone and determine their space- and time-dependent limitations. Meanwhile, guided bone augmentation for dentistry requires subsequent evaluation on an alveolar bone preclinical model followed by clinical implementation.

Keywords: Bioengineering; Bone regeneration; Bone remodeling; CAD/CAM, computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing; DAPI, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; Dentistry; FBS, fetal bovine serum; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase; GBR, guided bone regeneration; Guided tissue regeneration; IVC, individually ventilated cage; OCN, osteocalcin; OPN, osteopontin; OSX, osterix; Orthodontics; PBS, phosphate-buffered saline; PCL, poly(e-caprolactone); PDGFRβ, platelet-derived growth factor receptor β; PFA, paraformaldehyde; PGA, poly(glycolic acid); PLA, poly(lactic acid); VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor; VEGFR, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor; Zirconia; ePTFE, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.