Increased Number of Osteoblasts and New Bone Formation in Rat's Tooth Socket Implanted with Nanocrystalline Hydroxyapatite from Pensi Shells

Preserving alveolar bone with osteoconductive biomaterials may prevent excessive resorption
in the post extraction tooth socket. In this study, nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (nHA) made from
pensi shells (Corbicula moltkiana) through sol-gel method was implanted in the post extraction rat’s
tooth socket. The effect of nHA on the number of osteoblasts and new bone formation in the post
extraction sockets were then evaluated.
The study involved a total sample of 16 rats in 4 groups: group I (control day 14) and group II
(nHA day 14), group III (control day 28) and group IV (nHA day 28). XRD and SEM analysis results
confirmed a formation of pure hydroxyapatite materials with crystal and particle size of 41.78 nm
and about 100 nm, respectively. The results showed a significant difference in the number of
osteoblasts and new bone formation in bone healing after tooth extraction in the control group and
the nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite implantation group on day 14 and 28 (p < 0.05). Group IV
showed the highest number of osteoblasts by 43.6 + 2.27 and the highest new bone formation
1,407.4 + 0.57.
Following the analysis results of XRD, SEM, and histological picture of nHA implanted tooth
socket, this study suggests that nHA made from pensi shells is potential to be developed as
biomaterial implant for post-extraction tooth socket.