The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influences of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) on the healing of periodontal ligament and alveolar bone after replantation of tooth, and to examine the possibility of its clinical application.

45 Sprague Dawley rats weighted about 100 gram were divided into 3 experimental groups by different dose of BMP. All the upper right and left 1st molar were extracted after 5 days feeding of 0.4% β-aminopropionitrile, and right molar were used as experimental group and left molar were used as control group.

The root surface of experimental molar were treated with 25, 50 and 100ng/ml of human recombinant Bone morphogenetic protein-4 (rh-BMP-4) with micropipet, and 1M Sodium hypochloride were used on control root surface.

All the experimental animals were sacrificed as 1, 2, 4, 7 and 14 days after autoreplantation of upper 1st molar into their own position. The maxilla were disected included both side of 1st molar. The collected tissue were processed from demineralization to paraffin embeding as usual procedure, and the specimens were prepared with Hematoxylin-Eosin stain for the light microscopic evaluation.

The results of this study were as follows :

There was no significant differences between control and experimental site on 1 and 2 days after replantation of tooth. In the case of 4th days, the evidence of tissue regeneration were observed on experimental site to compare the controls. New osteoid were revealed on high concentration of BMP at 7 days after replantation, and it became more obvious at 14 days.

The effect of the rh-BMP-4 coated on root surface was revealed slight influences for the prolifertion of cells of periodontium and tissue regeneration as dose-dependent pattern.

Bony ankylosis was observed between alveolar bone and root surface due to the remarkable amount of osteoid formation on the 14 days after replantation of root.

In the conclusion, it was suggested that topical application of the rhBMP-4 on the root surface has influence on the periodontal ligament and alveolar bone. The application method of BMP on the root should be designed with calculation of proper concentration.