Influence of soft tissue contamination on the integration of titanium implants. An experimental study in rabbits

In the present study, the influence of peroperative soft tissue contamination on the healing of titanium implants was studied in 9 lop-eared rabbits. Titanium implants (Brånemark System) were inserted in the tibiae, a location with cortical bone only, in such a way that one group was inserted the standard way (control), and another group was contaminated for 30 s in the adjacent soft tissues, prior to insertion. The implants were allowed to heal for 12 weeks and were then retrieved together with surrounding bone, fixed, dehydrated and embedded in plastic resin. About 10 micron thick ground sections were prepared for light microscopic morphometry. The mineralized bone-to-titanium contact, and the amount of bone occupying the threads, were calculated for each implant, and the results of the two groups were compared. All retrieved implants were clinically stable at the end of the experiment. Regarding bone-to-titanium contact and bone area within the threads, a statistically nonsignificant difference was observed between the 2 groups. This study indicated that peroperative soft tissue contamination of c.p. titanium implants does not prevent osseointegration from occurring, when studied in the rabbit tibia.