A proof-of-concept for a novel mandibular dental implant model in mice

Animal models are needed to further investigate the osseointegration process after dental implant placement. The aim of this study was to introduce a proof-of-concept for a novel preclinical mandibular dental implant in mice.

Morphometric analyses of maxillaries from C57BL/6 mice were performed using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) to identify suitable implant site. The bone surrounding the mandibular first molar was selected due to its similarity to human bone characteristics (cortical/trabecular bone and crown/root ratio), and vertical shape which allows for implant complete bone coverage. Considering dental development and alveolar bone density, mandibular first molars were extracted 5 weeks postnatally. Implants were designed based on the characteristics of the alveolar bone healing site and manufactured in medical Ti-6Al-4 V. One implant was placed per mouse at the tooth extraction site and maintained to 35 days post-extraction. Bone-to-implant contact was measured by longitudinal micro-CT imaging.

Following morphometric evaluation, the mandibular first molar site was selected for implant placement based on its sufficient bone volume. Five weeks after extraction, the surgical site showed a bone volume-to-total volume ratio similar to that of native bone (83% vs. 84%, respectively). Implant follow-up showed that peri-implant bone volume plateaued from day 28 and indicated intimate contact between bone and implant surfaces (84.6%) at day 35 after implantation, confirmed through histological analyses.

This proof-of-concept study establishes a reliable preclinical mouse model for mandibular dental implantation. Beyond implantology, this model offers promising applications for investigating how systemic or genetic conditions influence bone healing and implant success.