OPG/RANKL ratio post implantation of polymethylmethacrylate -Hydroxyapatite (PMMA/HAp) in wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) femur

Tooth loss is a significant issue in Indonesia. Dental implants are a treatment option for missing tooth replacement. A high-quality dental implant ought to have superior osseointegration. The gold standard for dental implants is titanium. According to specific research, thin mucosa may turn bluish and develop hypersensitive reactions when exposed to titanium. In dentistry, polymethylmethacrylate, or PMMA, is a frequently utilized polymer. It requires additional materials since it lacks osteoconductivity despite having high mechanical qualities. One of the main minerals in bone and teeth is hydroxyapatite (HAp), which is also biocompatible, osteoconductive, and can fuse with bone to promote the regeneration of bone. Combining these materials will enhance their osteoconductivity, biocompatibility, and mechanical qualities. Immunohistochemical analysis is utilized to observe the expression of OPG and RANKL in osteoblast cells in vivo, providing insights into the potential of PMMA/HAp as a candidate implant material. This research aims to investigate the OPG/RANKL ratio after the administration of PMMA/HAp. The study was conducted in vivo on 42 rats divided into six groups. Control group (only femur drilling) on day 7 (K7), control on day 14 (K14), and treatment groups with PMMA/HAp implantation: GMP on day 7 (GMP7), BBK on day 7 (BBK7), GMP on day 14 (GMP14), and BBK on day 14 (BBK14). Subsequently, immunohistochemistry was performed on the expression of OPG and RANKL. There was a significant increase in OPG (on days 7 and 14) in both treatment groups compared to the control, and a non-significant decrease in RANKL (on day 7) in the PMMA/HAp-GMP group following the implantation of Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)-Hydroxyapatite (HAp) on the femur of Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus). The OPG/RANKL ratio in the GMP group on the 7^th day was slightly lower than in the BBK group on the 7^th. On the 14^th day, the OPG/RANKL ratio on both GMP and BBK experienced significant increases compared to the control group.