Purpose: to examine the influence of time of low-magnitude, high-frequency (LMHF) loading, whole-body vibration (WBV) on peri-implant bone healing.
Materials and methods: a custom-made Ti implant was inserted into the medio-proximal site of one tibia of 95 rats and was left to heal for 1 or 4 weeks. The daily WBV consisted of 15 consecutive frequency steps (12, 20, 30, …, 150 Hz) at an acceleration of 0.3 g. The rats were divided into five groups with different loading times: 0 (control/non-loading), 1.25, 2.5, 5 and twice 1.25 min. (with an interim recovery period) of loading. Bone-to-implant contact (BIC) and peri-implant bone fraction were measured.
Results: BIC of every test group was significantly higher than that of the control group for both healing periods. In the 4-week healing group, BIC and BFs (in all region of interests) were significantly higher in the case of twice 1.25 min. of loading compared with 1.25 min. of loading.
Conclusion: time of loading significantly influenced the effect of the WBV on peri-implant bone healing. Twice 1.25 min. of loading appears to have the most favourable effect. LMHF loading with a particular time sequence can stimulate peri-implant bone healing and formation.