The effect of calcitonin on increasing the effectiveness of hydroxyapatite and β-tricalcium phosphate in bone regeneration

Osteon is an alloplastic material containing 70% hydroxyapatite and 30% β-TCP. Calcitonin, a hormone produced by the thyroid gland, not only prevents bone resorption by reducing both the number and the activity of osteoclasts, but also stimulates bone formation. Considering the favorable effects of calcitonin on bone formation, we hypothesized that the addition of calcitonin to Osteon would result in better bone regeneration. To test this hypothesis, full-thickness bone defects were created bilaterally in the femoral condyles of 12 New Zealand white rabbits. The defect was filled with Osteon on one side (the control group); while on the other side, the defect was filled with a combination of Osteon and calcitonin (the experimental group). These findings showed that the number of osteoblasts and the degree of calcification in the experimental group were significantly higher than the control group (P = 0.05). On the basis of these findings, it is plausible to suggest that the addition of calcitonin to hydroxyapatite and β-TCP as alloplastic materials could contribute to a greater degree of osteogenesis.