Aim: To compare the effects of milled tooth (MT) powder and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) on healing of extraction sockets in rabbits.
Methods: Sixty healthy adult male rabbits were divided into four groups (n=15). After anesthesia the right mandibular first molars were extracted and the treated materials (β-TCP or MT) were gently applied to the extraction sockets forming two groups. In the positive (+ve) control group, sockets healed spontaneously. In the negative (-ve) control group, jaws were left without any interference. Five rabbits from each group were euthanized 10, 20, and 30 days after surgery. Specimens were prepared for light microscopic examination using hematoxylin and eosin, Masson's trichrome staining, and osteopontin. ANOVA was used to assess the statistical significance of the difference between more than two group means. Tukey's multiple comparisons and post-hoc tests were used to explore differences between the means of multiple groups.
Results: Regarding osteoid tissue formation by Masson's trichrome staining, a highly significant difference recorded between -ve control, +ve control/10 d, β-TCP/20 d, MT/10 d, and MT/30 d groups. However, no significant differences were detected between the -ve control and +ve control, β-TCP/ 20 d, β-TCP/30 d, and MT/30 d groups. Higher expression of osteopontin were detected in the β-TCP/20 d and MT/30 d groups, and a highly significant difference was observed compared to the +ve control group.
Conclusions: MT powder is a biocompatible osteoconductive graft material that can be used as bone graft material in tooth extraction socket healing.