[Local application of simvastatin to rat incisor sockets augments bone]

Decrease of the alveolar ridge after tooth extraction causes difficulties in prosthodontic treatment, especially in implant supported prostheses. Statins, which are inhibitors of cholesterol synthesis and therapeutic drugs for hypercholestemia, stimulate BMP-2 expression in osteoblasts. The purpose of the present study was to examine how local application of simvastatin, one of the statins, to the tooth socket after tooth extraction affects alveolar bone. A mixture of lactic acid/glycolic acid copolymer (PLGA), alpha-tricalcium phosphate (alpha-TCP), calcium carbonate was prepared as a carrier for simvastatin. Ninety-six male Wistar rats, 10 weeks old, were used. After right mandibular incisor extraction, they were divided into eight groups and tooth sockets were treated differently: no treatment (control), PLGA carrier only, or PLGA containing 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 mg simvastatin, respectively. They were sacrificed at 4 and 8 weeks. Bone mineral content (BMC) of the alveolar ridge was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and histological analyses were performed. All groups treated with simvastatin showed higher BMC compared to the control group and PLGA carrier group at 4 and 8 weeks. Histological analyses revealed that the thickness of cortical bone of the statin group increased compared to the control group at 4 and 8 weeks; however, newly-formed bone in the tooth socket of the statin group was less than in those of the control group and PLGA carrier group. The results of this study show that local application of simvastatin may enhance bone formation and preserve the alveolar ridge after tooth extraction.