High Frequency Acceleration: A New Tool for Alveolar Bone Regeneration.

Introduction: A common problem in clinical dentistry is the significant and rapid bone loss that occurs after periodontitis, osteoporosis, tooth extractions, lack of function, or any other pathologic condition that target the alveolar bone. Currently there is no stable solution for the long-term preservation or rehabilitation of alveolar bone. In this article, we review the latest concepts on bone response to mechanical stimulation, and summarize the results of our studies on the effect of high frequency acceleration (HFA) on healthy alveolar bone and on healing alveolar bone after extractions.

Methods: In both studies, we used adult Sprague Dawley rats to test the response of alveolar bone to different frequencies and accelerations applied to the maxillary molars.

Results: Once we determined which parameters of HFA induced a higher osteogenic response, we tested the effect of this mechanical stimulation during bone healing after molar extraction. Our studies strongly show that HFA can stimulate bone formation in the healthy alveolar bone surrounding the tooth/point of application as well as the distant bone surrounding the neighboring teeth. When HFA was applied to the second molar, after extraction of the third molar, it accelerated bone healing and prevented alveolar bone resorption in and around the extraction socket.

Conclusion: HFA is a noninvasive safe treatment that can be used to prevent alveolar bone loss, accelerate bone healing and to improve the quality and quantity of alveolar bone under both physiological and pathological conditions.