Shear Properties of Cancellous Bone from Osteoporotic Sheep Treated with Synthetic Bone Mineral

The aim of this study was to determine whether a calcium phosphate-based synthetic bone mineral (SBM) could increase bone strength by preventing bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency and accelerated by a combination of a low mineral diet plus corticosteroid injections in a large animal (ovine) model. Twenty-eight sheep were randomly allocated to four different groups: sham-operated, ovariectomy, SBM without fluoride (-F), and SBM with fluoride (+F). After eight months of treatment the sheep were sacrificed. There was a significant difference in the peak load, shear stress, stiffness, and density of the cancellous bone between the four different groups. Specifically, when the SBM with fluoride was compared to the ovariectomy group there was a significant improvement in peak load (p<;0.05), shear stress (p<;0.05), stiffness (p<;0.05), and density (p<;0.01) in the cancellous bone.