Effects of prostaglandin E1 application on rat incisal sockets.

PURPOSE

Atrophy of the alveolar ridge is a problem in prosthetic and esthetic treatment. In the present study, to examine effects of PGE1 on the alveolar bone after tooth extraction, PGE1 was applied to rat incisal sockets utilizing a slow drug release system using PLGA as the drug carrier.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-six male Wistar rats, 10 weeks old, were divided into 3 groups. After all right mandibular incisors were extracted, the sockets were treated in the following manner. The first group was untreated (control group), the second group received a PLGA rod (PLGA group), and the third group was treated with a PLGA rod containing 0.5 mg PGE1 (PGE1 group). Six rats in each group were sacrificed at 4 weeks, and the remaining rats were sacrificed at 8 weeks. For fluorescence labeling, half of the animals were injected with calcein and tetracycline 8 days and 1 day before sacrifice, respectively. After sacrifice, the mandibles were radiologically and histologically examined.

RESULTS

In the PGE1 group, the bone volume of the alveolar ridge including the socket was significantly (P < .05) greater than in the control and PLGA groups at 4 and 8 weeks. At 4 weeks in the PGE1 group, the mineral apposition rate and number of osteoclasts were higher than in the other groups, whereas these parameters were similar in all groups at 8 weeks.

CONCLUSION

Based on this animal study, it appears that local application has the potential to preserve and/or augment the alveolar ridge after tooth extraction.