Osseointegration of Self-Drilling Titanium Screws in the Hole Smaller than the Screw Core in the Male Rabbit

Abstract

Inserting orthopedic screws into a hole that is too small can produce excessive mechanical forces that cause osteocyte death and difficulty carrying out bone repair processes. The aim of the study was to evaluate the osseointegration of titanium screws 6 weeks after their insertion into the femur of male rabbits, in any smaller than the screw core. The study was conducted on 5 male rabbits aged 1 year with orthopedic titanium screws with a length of 5 mm, a diameter of 2 mm and a diameter of a screw core of 1.5 mm. The screws were inserted into the diaphysis of the femoral bone, into the hole with a diameter of 1 mm. After 6 weeks of insertion of the screws, the presence of newly proliferated tissues is found throughout the interface, but with differences from one area to another. In conclusion, the insertion of titanium screws into the hole with a diameter smaller than the screw core is accompanied by good bone proliferation in the periosteal and endosteal areas of the interface and is exceptionally modest on the portion next to the diaphyseal bone wall.

Keywords

• male rabbit
• osseointegration
• titanium screws