Quantitative assessment of rat bone regeneration using complex master-slave optical coherence tomography

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine
• Surgical Innovation

Background:

• Oral implantology requires methods to augment bone volume and quality using alternative materials.
• Laser radiation shows potential in accelerating fracture repair and increasing bone mineral density.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a multimodal complex master slave (CMS) enhanced swept source (SS) optical coherence tomography (OCT) system.
• To analyze the quantity and quality of new bone formation using low-level laser therapy (LLLT).

Main Methods:

• Created 5 mm cylindrical defects in rat calvaria, divided into three groups: natural healing, bovine graft, and bovine graft with LLLT.
• Utilized a multimodal CMS/SS-OCT instrument for imaging bone regeneration at 14, 21, and 30 days post-procedure.
• Quantitatively assessed bone formation by analyzing brightness differences in OCT images.

Main Results:

• The LLLT group (Group C) showed a higher volume of newly-formed bone compared to the bovine graft group (Group B) and the control group (Group A).
• The most significant difference in bone volume was observed at 21 days.
• Bone volumes in Groups B and C showed a trend towards equalization by day 30.

Conclusions:

• LLLT, when used with bovine graft, promotes superior bone regeneration compared to graft material alone.
• OCT is a valuable tool for quantitatively assessing the positive effects of LLLT on bone regeneration.
• The study highlights the potential of LLLT in enhancing bone defect healing.