A preliminary study of gelatin bone healing model for mechanical analysis of dental implants

Objective: To investigate the possibility of designing a gelatin model which simulated the process of bone healing around the dental implant. Methods: Using a high concentration of gelatin, a series of experimental bone healing models were designed for biomechanical analysis of dental implants. The concentration and the elastic modulus of gelatin models were measured. Then the influence of the lasting time after the gelatin hardened on the elastic modulus of gelatin model and the influence of the elastic modulus on the removal torque of dental implants were evaluated. Results: Within a concentration of gelatin range of the 85~92%, the elastic modulus of gelatin model showed slow increasing. Above the 93% of concentration of gelatin, the elastic modulus of gelatin model showed sharply increasing. The elastic modulus of gelatin model increased in proportion to the lasting time after the gelatin hardened. Within an elastic modulus range 30~130MPa, the removal torque of TPS implant increased in proportion to increasingof the elastic modulus. Conclusions: The gelatin bone model is appropriated for studying the mechanical characteristics of dental implants. Controlling of the elastic modulus of gelatin model, it is more convenient by the lasting time after the gelatin hardened than the concentration of gelatin.