During healing following tooth extraction, inflammation and the immune response within the extraction socket are related to bone resorption.
Objective: We sought to identify how the alloplastic material used for socket preservation affects the immune responses and osteoclastic activity within extraction sockets.
Material and methods: Using a porcine model, we extracted teeth and grafted biphasic calcium phosphate into the extraction sockets. We then performed a peptide analysis with samples of gingival tissue from adjacent to the sockets and compared the extraction only (EO) and extraction with socket preservation (SP) groups. We also used real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to evaluate the expression level of immunoglobulins, chemokines and other factors related to osteoclastogenesis. Differences between the groups were analyzed for statistical significance using paired t tests.
Results: Levels of IgM, IgG and IGL expression were higher in the EO group than in the SP group 1 week post-extraction, as were the levels of CCL3, CCL5, CXCL2, IFN-γ and TNF-α expression (p < 0.05). In addition, receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) was also significantly upregulated in the EO group (p < 0.05), as were IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: These results suggest that the beneficial effect of socket preservation can be explained by suppression of immune responses and inflammation.