A Rat Tail Model for Osseointegration Studies and New Bone Formation Follow up
Animal studies are necessary to precede clinical studies. Recently the rat tail model has been proposed by us as a model for studying bone regeneration with easily surgical approach, effective control of post operative pain and a decrease of animal number. The present study aimed to widen the rat tail model indication to implant osseointegration. Special titanium implants were inserted through tail vertebrae. A good primary stability was observed three month after implant placement. X ray microtomography (Micro CT) and histology were used to visualize bone formation and to calculate bone implant contact. Micro CT showed osseointegrated implants in caudal vertebra. This illustrates the possibility to obtain bone implant contact by micro CT measurements. The results suggest that the rat caudal vertebrae may serve as a good preclinical model for studying implant osseointegration with the possibility of multiple testing within the same experimental animal and the potential to decrease number of experimental animals.