The Effects of Growth Hormone on the Initial Bone Formation Around Implants

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the topical application of growth hormone on the osseointegration of dental implants in beagle dogs 14 days after placement. Materials and Methods: Maxillary and mandibular premolars and molars were extracted from 12 beagle dogs. Two months later, each mandible received cylindric screw-type implants of 3.25 mm in diameter and 10 mm in length. The implants were randomly assigned to the mesial and distal sites on each side of the mandible. Prior to implantation, lyophilized powdered growth hormone was applied to one osteotomy on each side of the mandible. No growth hormone was applied at the control sites. Eight histologic sections per implant were obtained for histomorphometric analysis. Results: After a 2-week treatment period, the growth hormone-treated sites showed significant (P .0001) increases in the perimeter of bone that was in direct contact with the treated implants (40.19% ± 2.51%), total peri-implant area (P .001) (69.57% ± 3.53%), and new bone formation (P .0001) (35.18% ± 0.31%), in comparison to control implants (25.05% ± 2.43%, 53.40% ± 4.58%, and 28.65% ± 1.92%, respectively). There was no significant increase in interthread bone in growth hormone-treated implants (27.92% ± 3.31%) in comparison to control implants (25.08% ± 3.47%) (P > .05). Conclusion: Topical application of growth hormone may act as a bone stimulant in the placement of endosseous dental implants. Keywords: bone remodeling, dental implants, dogs, growth hormone, oral cavity