A Si-αTCP Scaffold for Biomedical Applications: An Experimental Study Using the Rabbit Tibia Model

We herein hypothesize that bioceramics with an appropriate architecture made of Si-αtricalcium phosphate (Si-αTCP) meet the biocompatibility and biological safety requirements for bone grafting applications. Polyurethane sponges were used as templates, soaked with ceramic slurry at different ratios and sintered at 1400 °C for 3 h at heating and cooling rates of 5 °C/min. Four critical size defects of 6 mm Ø were created in 15 NZ tibias. Three working times were established as 15, 30 and 60 days. A highly porous Si-αTCP scaffold with micro and macropores and pore interconnectivity was produced by the polymer replication method. Considerably more bone formation took place in the pores and the periphery of the implant for the Si-αTCP scaffolds than for the control group. The ceramic scaffold (68.32% ± 1.21) generated higher bone-to-implant contact (BIC) percentage values (higher quality, closer contact) than the control group, according to the histomorphometric analysis, and defect closure was significant compared with the control group. The highest percentages of BIC and bone formation were found after 60 days of implantation. These results suggest that the Si-αTCP scaffold is advantageous for initial bone regeneration