Effects of bisphosphonates on sutural bone formation and relapse: A histologic and immunohistochemical study

The aim of this experimental study was to evaluate the effects of systemically applied zoledronic acid on bone regeneration in response to expansion of the sagittal suture and relapse in rats.

Thirty-six male Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups. In the first and second groups, saline solution was given subcutaneously after expansion, and the retention periods lasted 14 and 7 days, respectively. In the third group, 0.1 mg of zoledronic acid was diluted with saline solution and given subcutaneously after expansion; the retention period lasted for 7 days. Expansion and relapse amounts were measured by using computed tomography. After the retention period, 6 rats from each group were killed for histologic and immunohistochemical assessments. The other 6 rats from each group were used for observation of the relapse.

The histologic evaluation showed that, in groups 1 and 2, the numbers of osteoblasts were less than observed in group 3. When scores of staining intensity were compared, immunoreactivities were statistically significantly increased in group 3 compared with groups 2 and 1. Statistically significant differences were found when the relapse percentages were compared between the groups (P <0.05). The smallest relapse occurred in group 3.

Zoledronic acid has positive effects on bone formation in the sagittal suture in response to expansion and decreases the relapse ratio after expansion in rats.