2.1 Ethical statements
This research project was approved by the Committee on Ethics in the Use of Animals of the Faculty of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil, on May 20, 2022, protocol #2022.1.287.58.3. The proposed experimental procedures were carried out in accordance with legislation for animal experimentation in Brazil. The ARRIVE Checklist was used in this study.
2.2 Study design
The present study had a prospective, randomized, split-mouth study (test and control sides in the same animal) design. Defects, 10 mm wide and 3 mm deep, were prepared at both the lateral aspects of the mandible and an implant was placed in the center of each defect. The defects were randomly filled with either Bio-Oss® (low temperature; Low-T sites) or Cerabone® (high temperature; High-T sites) and a collagen membrane was placed to cover the region. Histological analyses were performed after 10 weeks of healing.
2.3 Experimental animals and sample size
The sample size was evaluated using data from a previous experiment performed by the same group in which the healing of two biomaterials was studied after 10 weeks from sinus floor elevation in rabbit. In a two-tails evaluation, applying an α=0.05, a power of 0.8 and a calculated effect size of 0.9785, a sample size of 11 pairs of animals was obtained to reject the null hypothesis that the difference is zero reaching an actual power of 0.83 (G*Power 3.1.9.4) [29,30]. The sample was increased to 12 for possible complications. Hence, 12 adult male New Zealand White rabbits, weighing ~4.0 kg and aged ~5 months, were included in the study.
2.4 Randomization and allocation concealment
An author (S.P.X.) who was not involved in the selection of animals, or any surgical procedure carried out the randomization electronically. The allocation treatment was kept concealed in a sealed opaque envelope, opened after implant installation. All histological slides were codes and the histological examinator was not informed about treatment al-location. Nevertheless, the two biomaterials could be identified for different aspects in histology.
2.5 Biomaterials
Bio-Oss® (Geistlich Biomaterial, Wolhusen, LU, Switzerland) is deproteinized bovine mineral bone with sinterization at 300º, porosity of 75 to 80%, with pores of 20 to 200µm and average particulate size of 0.5 - 1mm [16].
Cerabone® (Botiss Biomaterials GmbH, Zossen, Germany) is completely formed by hydroxyapatite from bovine cancellous bone, with sinterization at 1200°c, porosity of 65 to 80%, with pores of 600 to 900µm and average particle size of 0.5 - 1mm [16].
Bio-Gide (Geistlich) is a porcine-derived resorbable membrane composed of types I and III collagen. It is composed of a bilayer structure with a smooth outer layer aimed at avoiding the progression of soft tissues within the region to be regenerated, and a porous inner layer that aims to favor bone cells and vessel growth [31].
2.6 Anesthetic procedures
The anesthetic procedures started with the use of acepromazine I.M. (1.0 mg/kg; Acepran, Vetnil, Louveira, São Paulo), and xylazine I.M. (3.0 mg/Kg; Laboratórios Calier S/A, Barcelona, Spain) and ketamine I.M. (50.0 mg/Kg; União Química Farmacêutica Nacional S/A, Embuguaçú, São Paulo, Brazil). Antibiotic therapy was initiated with oxy-tetracycline. (0.2 ml/Kg; Biovet; Vargem Grande Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil). After shaving, the area to be operated disinfected with 1% polyvinylpyrrolidone iodine solution (Ri-odeíne Tintura, Rioquímica, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil). Local anesthesia was added with 2% mepivacaine and 1:100,000 noradrenaline (Mepinor, Nova DFL, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).
2.7 Surgical procedure
The clinical surgical procedures were performed by an experienced and qualified operator (V.F.B.; see acknowledgments). A linear incision of about 2.5-3 cm was made on the skin at the lower border of the mandible. Muscles and periosteum were reflected to expose the buccal bone of the mandibular angle. Defects, 10 mm wide and 3 mm deep, were pre-pared bilaterally using a trephine and finalized with burs. One implant, 8.5mm long and 3.25mm in diameter (Leader Medica, Padua, Italy) was installed in the center of each defect with the rough margin flush to the periphery of the defect (Figures 1A and 2A).
The defects were filled with either Bio-Oss® (Low-T sites; figure 1B) or Cerabone® (High-T sites; Figure 2B). A collagen membrane (Bio-Gide) was used to cover the experimental region (Figure 1C and 2C). Vicryl 4-0 was used on the periosteum and muscular planes, and Nylon 4-0 to suture the skin.
2.8 Animal maintenance
The animals were kept in individual cages at the Animal Facility of the Faculty of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo and were fed with specifically tailored food and had access to water ad libitum. The room was acclimatized with split air conditioning and exhaust fan (27 to 34 air changes/h), and automatic lighting control (12-hour light-dark cycle)..In the postoperative period and in the following three days, all animals received ketoprofen (3.0 mg/kg, 12/12h, I.M., 10% Ketofen, Merial, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil) and 2% tramadol hydrochloride (1.0 mg/kg, 12 /12h, subcutaneous, Cronidor, Agener União Saúde Animal, Apucarana, Paraná, Brazil) in the postoperative period and in the following three days. A rigorous protocol for monitoring the animals was carried out throughout the experimental period, paying daily attention to the basic biological functions, feeding and excretion, behavioral signs in relation to postoperative pain, and monitoring of post-surgical infections and surgical wounds for suture care, bleeding, and/or signs of infection.
2.9 Euthanasia
The animals were euthanized by administering an overdose (2.0 mL) of intravenous thiopental 1.0 g (Thiopentax; Cristália, Itapira, São Paulo, Brazil) 10 weeks, The experimental regions were dissected and reduced to individual blocks and maintained in 10% paraformaldehyde for fixation.
2.10 Histological processing
After fixation, all blocks were washed and then include in the process of dehydration, resin inclusion (LR WhiteTM HardGrid, London Resin Co Ltd, Berkshire, United Kingdom) and polymerization. Subsequently, the specimens were cut following a transaxial plane in the center of the block guided by the implant positioned at the center of the graft.
Two sections of approximately 100 – 150 µm thickness were obtained that were then ground to a thickness of approximately 60–80 µm using a cutting/grinding equipment (Exakt, Apparatebau, Norderstedt, Germany). Histological sections were stained with either Toluidine Blue or with Stevenel’s Blue and Alizarin Red.
2.11 Histomorphometric evaluation
The histological assessments were performed by an experienced assessor (E.F.D.R., see acknowledgements) after a calibration with another expert (D.B).
For the linear measurements, the following references were used: B, the most coronal bone to implant contact level; M, the implant margin; F, the floor of the original defect, positioned 3 mm apically to M. The following classification was applied based the distance between B and F (B-F), that is the bone gain from the base of the original defect: M-F ≤1 mm, 1> M-F ≤2mm, M-F >2mm. Bone-to-implant contact percentage (BIC%) was evaluated within 3 mm of the defect.
The morphometric measurements were performed in six locations (Figure 3), three of which close to the implant (I-S, internal superior; I-C, internal central; I-I, internal inferior), two central (C-S, central superior; C, central) and one external (E-S, external superior). New bone, xenograft, mix structure (composed of a mixture of xenograft and newly formed bone) and soft tissues were assessed. For the evaluation, one grid containing squares of 75 µm in dimension was superimposed onto the photomicrographs of each region using NIS-Elements software (Nikon, Tokyo, Japan). Each region was examined with a dimension of about 1 mm2.
2.12 Experimental outcomes and statistical methods.
The values obtained are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation. The primary variable was the mineralized new bone. The secondary variables were other tissues evaluated in the morphometric analysis. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to determine the normality of data and, according to the results, the differences between the test and control sides were evaluated by a paired t-test or a Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test. GraphPad Prism (version 10.0.2 for Windows, GraphPad Software, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, www.graphpad.com) was used for statistical analyses. The significance level was 5%.