Bone mineral microanalysis in contact with mini-implant of orthodontic use. Preliminary study

Keyword: Bone, mini-implant, titanium       
The use of metals materials for the manufacture of orthodontic mini implants makes necessary to evaluate the possible tissue responses to the placement of them.
Objective: To perform a bone mineral microanalysis in contact with  mini-implants for orthodontic use, in order to assess the presence of titanium in it. Materials and methods: Within a larger study in which mini implants were used, a sample of 12 crossbred were selected rabbits for this study, control and experimental. 4 titanium mini implants 10 mm in length and 1.4 mm in diameter were placed in the warm, remained over a period of 6 to 12 weeks. All experimental animals were sacrificed six weeks later. Micro-implants were removed from the warm and prepared the samples for its study by electron microscopy (SEM) and mineral microanalysis with energy dispersive spectrometer spectrometer (EDAX)
Results: microanalysis was performed in tibiae of control and experimental rabbits, in the bed of the mini-implants (cortical and medullary zone) and in remote area of 1 mm. None of the samples found the presence of titanium. Conclusions: It was not detected with this method of study the presence of titanium mini bone-implant contact. It is necessary to continue this study with more sensitive detectors, to rule out the spread of this mineral into surrounding tissues.