Introduction: The surgeon is always working to replace lost bone and obtaining enough bone quantities to do his/her surgical operations. In our study we examined propolis in order to determine the bone healing capacity of it.
Objectives: Comparing histologically & histomorphometrically the bone healing rate of the combination of hydroxyapatite +propolis extract versus hydroxyapatite.
Methodology: Eighteen New Zealand white male rabbits were used. Bilateral designed critical-size bone defects (CSD) were prepared in the right and left tibia of 12 Rabbits .Defect in the right tibia (positive control) & received hydroxyapatite, while defect in the left tibia (study) & received (hydroxyapatite + propolis). Bilateral (CSD) were prepared in both tibia of the other 6 Rabbits (negative control) & left empty. Sacrificing were done at 3, 6 weeks postoperatively.
Results: In the positive control group, at 3 weeks, specimens revealed formation of new bone covering the defect area. While, in the study group, bone consisted of thicker trabeculae with more regularly arranged osteocytes and relatively smaller bone marrow spaces. At 6 weeks, specimens revealed higher percentage of the formed bone in the defect area in both groups. However, in the negative control group, the regenerated bone was lower than in the other groups. Histomorphometrically, the mean percentage of bone surface area in study group was higher than positive control group through all experimental periods but the difference was statistically non-significant (P3 = 0.155, 0.136) respectively.
Conclusion: Histologically HA + propolis showed better convenient results than other groups