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Updated: Jul 17, 2026

The Establishment of Calvarial Suture-Bony Composite Defects in Rats: A Standardized Model for Suture-Regenerative Therapy Investigation
Published on: May 10, 2024
Bone healing in critical-size defects treated with bioactive glass/calcium sulfate: a histologic and histometric
Flávia A C Furlaneto1, Maria J H Nagata, Stephen E Fucini
1Division of Periodontics, Department of Surgery and Integrated Clinic, Dental School of Araçatuba, University of the State of São Paulo Júlio de Mesquita, Filho, UNESP, Brazil.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to analyze histologically the influence of bioactive glass (BG) with or without a calcium sulfate (CS) barrier on bone healing in surgically created critical-size defects (CSD) in rat calvaria.
Material And Methods:
A CSD was made in each calvarium of 48 rats. They were divided into three groups: C (control): blood clot only; BG: defect filled with BG; and BG/CS: defect filled with BG covered by a CS barrier. Animals were euthanized at 4 or 12 weeks. Formation of new bone was evaluated histomorphometrically.
Results:
No defect completely regenerated with bone. BG particles were observed in Groups BG and BG/CS at both periods of analysis. The thickness throughout the healing area in Groups BG and BG/CS was similar to the original calvarium, while Group C presented a thin connective tissue in the center of the defect in both periods of analysis. At 4 weeks, Groups C and BG/CS presented significantly more bone formation than Group BG. No significant differences were found between Groups C and BG/CS. At 12 weeks, no significant differences in the amount of bone formation were observed among the three groups. When comparing 4 and 12 weeks, there was a significant increase in new bone formation within groups BG and BG/CS, but not C.
Conclusion:
BG particles, used with or without a CS barrier, maintained the volume and contour of the area grafted in CSD. However, they did not lead to a significant difference in bone formation when compared with control at 12 weeks post-operative.

