RESUMO
PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether osseointegration of HA-coated implants can be affected by irradiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single dose of 15 Gy was applied to the right tibia of 5 rabbits and the left tibia was not irradiated and used as control. After 3 months, the animals were killed and the quantification of the implant-bone contact surfaces was performed using scanning electron micrographs of the resin sections containing the implants in the irradiated and nonirradiated bones. After the healing period, all implants were stable. RESULTS: The results show a mean percentage of bone-implant contact of 45.52% in the irradiated tissue and 47.56% in the nonirradiated tissue, with no statistic significant difference (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, radiotherapy may not interfere with osseointegration process around HA-coated implants in rabbit cortical bone.