Localization of Osteocalcin in Amelogenin-Propolis Coated Dental Implants in Rabbits

Abstract

Dental implant is an artificial tooth root fixed into the jaws to hold a replacement tooth or bridge. Functional surface modifications by organic material such as amelogenin/propolis coating seem to enhance early peri-implant bone formation. The aim of the study was to evaluate the expression of osteocalcin  as bone formation markers in amelogenin/propolis coated and uncoated implant in interval periods(1,2 and 4 weeks). Commercially pure Titanium(cpTi) implants, coated with amelogenin/ propolis, were placed in the tibias of 30 New Zealand white rabbits, histological and immunohistochemical tests for detection of expression of osteocalcin were performed on all the implants of both control and experimental groups for (1,2 and 4 weeks) healing intervals. Histological finding for coated titanium implant with amelogenin/ propolis illustrated an early bone formation, mineralization and maturation in comparison to control. Immunohistochemical finding showed that positive reaction for osteocalcin was expressed by osteoblast cells (OB)at implants coated with amelogenin/ propolis, indicating that bone formation &maturation was accelerated by adding biological materials as a modification modality of implant surface. The present study concludes that coating of implants with amelogenin/ propolis showed increment in osseointegration in short interval period.

Keywords: amelogenin, propolis, dental implant, biochemical bone markers, osteocalcin and osseointegration.