Purpose: Parathyroid hormone (PTH) plays an important role in the treatment of osteoporosis due to its anabolic effect. In this study, PTH was administered intermittently to rats with ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis, titanium implants were placed into the rat maxillae, and the response of surrounding bone was evaluated. Materials and Methods: A total of 30 female 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were either ovariectomized to induce osteoporosis or sham operated. After 8 weeks, the upper right first molar was extracted and after a 4-week healing period an implant was placed. The animals were then divided into three groups: the PTH group (n = 10), which had been ovariectomized and received postimplant PTH; the OVX group (n = 10), which had been ovariectomized but did not receive postimplant PTH; and the control group (n = 10), which had been sham operated only (n = 10). Following implant placement, the rats in the PTH group received intermittent doses (three times a week) of PTH (30 mu g/kg) subcutaneously in the dorsum. All the rats were sacrificed 4 weeks after implantation and specimens of the peri-implant maxillary bone were harvested, including the implant. Samples were evaluated by histomorphometric analysis and three-dimensional microcomputed tomography. Results: Histomorphometric results showed that the mean bone area per tissue area (BA/TA) was 54.16 +/- 2.2 in the PTH group and 45.24 +/- 6.3 in the OVX group. The percentage of bone-to-implant contact (BIC) was 45.58 +/- 9.4 in the PTH group and 32.00 +/- 10.9 in the OVX group. Mean BA/TA and mean BIC values in the PTH group were higher than those in the OVX group; however, the differences were not statistically significant (P > .05). Microstructural data also showed differences between the groups. Bone volume was greater and trabecular bone was thicker in the PTH group than in the OVX group and more trabeculae were found in the PTH group. Bone mineral density was also higher in the PTH group. However, statistical analysis failed to show a significant difference between these two groups in any parameters other than trabecular thickness (P = .023). Conclusion: Despite the limitations of this study, intermittent PTH administration in humans may be helpful in accelerating new bone formation around implants. PTH treatment could improve clinical outcomes when dental implants are placed in jaws with low-quality bone.
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