The Effect of Atmospheric Pressure Cold Plasma Application on Titanium Barriers: A Vertical Bone Augmentation

The aim of the present, microcomputed tomographic (μCT) and histological study, was to evaluate the effect of surface modification by atmospheric pressure cold plasma (APCP) on vertical guided bone regeneration in a rabbit calvaria model.

The experimental study was conducted on 12 male New Zealand rabbits with healing periods of 45 and 90 days. Following surgical exposure of the calvarium, 4 customized titanium cylindricalders were fixed. Surface modification was achieved by application of APCP on 2 of cylinders (P+) in each calvarium and other cylinders were set as control (P-). In both experimental and control groups, one of the cylinders was filled with bone graft (G+) while the other one was left empty (G-). To evaluate short term effects, randomly selected 6 animals were sacrificed at the end of 45 days and remaining 6 animals were left for observing long term effects. Histological and μCT evaluations were used to examine new bone formation.

In μCT imaging; the bone volume was greater (P < 0.05) in grafted groups than nongrafted groups in both short and long term. The bone height values were significantly different in (P-G-) group than other groups (P < 0.05) in both evaluation periods. The histological evaluations revealed significant differences between P+G+ group and other groups but in long term both plasma treated groups revealed more bone formation than non plasma treated groups.

Modification of the surfaces of titanium cylinders by APCP treatment, accelerated the bone regeneration either bone graft used or not in a rabbit calvaria model.