Grant: Project Grant

Thousands of dental and orthopedic implants are placed each year to address the ravages of bone degenerative diseases such as osteoporosis, osteoarthristis, osteonecrosis and periodontal disease. Since the Canadian population is rapidly aging and implants, which have a limited longevity, are increasingly placed at younger ages, and patients are now requiring at least one implant replacements. This situation is compounded by the fact that every time an implant is replaced there is loss of supporting bone, affecting implant stability and longevity. Current bone implants are relatively effective but they will need significant improvement and the process whereby they interact with the host tissues needs to be better understood to address future challenges in orthopaedics and dentistry, including compromised health status and poor bone quality. Implant instability and movement, either immediately after placement or during healing, can lead to its failure. While the influence of mechanical conditions on healing of skeletal tissues has been well studied, there is still an incomplete understanding of the key physical factors and underlying mechanisms that dictate the success of an implant. New generations of implant benefit from surface modifications but how these affect the distribution of forces during implant movement, and how this reflects on bone healing and regeneration around an implant is not yet understood. We propose to apply a combination of molecular and histological approaches to study how surface modifications ranging from coarse to the very fine nanoscale influence the performance of implants under conditions of movement that reflect clinical conditions. This project will provide scientific insight that can guide the design of improved biomaterials and of loading protocols to improve the quality of life of Canadians, and reduce morbidity, the number of implant-related deaths, and the overall health care burden to the Canadian society.