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Updated: Aug 24, 2025
Longitudinal Intravital Imaging Through Clear Silicone Windows
Published on: January 5, 2022
An in vivo preclinical study assessing biocompatibility of Pd-based bulk metallic glass
Lukasz Witek1,2, Vasudev Vivekanand Nayak1,3, Ricardo Rodriguez Colon4
1Biomaterials Division, Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY, USA.
Background:
The bulk metallic glass (BMG), Pd79Ag3.5P6Si9.5Ge2, has a high fracture toughness and has been found to accommodate post-yield stress, unlike most other BMG. Moreover, due to its greater noble gas composition it has a intrinsic corrosion resistance, ideal for dental and orthopedic implants.
Objective:
This present study aimed to evaluate the in vivo application of Pd79Ag3.5P6Si9.5Ge2 in a large translational sheep model to assess its efficacy to be utilized as an endosteal device.
Methods:
Twelve implants in the form of cylindrical rods (3 mm in diameter) were produced through rapid quenching. Each sheep (n = 12) received one osteotomy in the mandibular region using rotary instrumentation, which was filled with Pd79Ag3.5P6Si9.5Ge2. After 6- and 24-weeks the animals were euthanized, and samples collected en bloc to conduct histomorphometric analysis. The degree of osseointegration were assessed through bone-to-implant contact (BIC).
Results:
All samples revealed favorable BIC along with with fibrous connective tissue layers at both 6- and 24-weeks. Bone along with interfacial remodeling was observed in proximity with the metallic glass surface at 6 weeks with higher degrees of bone organization being observed at the later healing time, 24 weeks.
Conclusions:
The synthesized BMG, given its unique combination of toughness and strength, revealed potential to serve as an alternative to commonly used Ti alloys.
