Long-term effects of local pretreatment with alendronate on healing of replanted rat teeth.

Background And Objective: Our previous study showed that topical alendronate, an inhibitor of bone resorption, reduces root resorption and ankylosis for 21 d after replantation of rat teeth. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term inhibitory effects of topical alendronate in the replanted teeth.

Material And Methods: The rat maxillary first molars were extracted, placed in saline containing 1 mm alendronate (alendronate group) or saline (saline group) for 5 min and then replanted. The maxillae were dissected at 60 and 120 d. Microcomputed tomography horizontal sections at three root levels were analyzed for root and bone resorption, ankylosis and pulp mineralization.

Results: In the alendronate group at 60 and 120 d, the frequencies of resorption of roots and bone were lower than those in the saline group. The p values show statistical significances of lower frequencies in the alendronate group than in the saline group by chi-square test (see Table 1). Ankylosis and pulp mineralization occurred in the alendronate and saline groups. Bone marrow spaces were narrowed in conjunction with bone tissue expansion around the replanted teeth in the alendronate group.

Conclusion: The inhibitory effects of topical alendronate were retained on root and bone resorption, but not on ankylosis and pulp mineralization, in the replanted teeth for 4 mo. Alendronate might also stimulate bone formation around the rat replanted teeth.