The Effect of Orthognathic Surgery on Osteoprotegerin as Immunological Caliper of Bone Healing

BACKGROUND Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is considered to be the cytokine that plays an important role in the healing process. OPG regulates bone cell biology, osteoblast-osteoclast, bone-immune cross-talk and maintenance of bone mass. It plays an important role in the development, induction, and repair of bone. Orthognathic surgery as multiples segmental osteotomies has been taken as a model surgery to assess the changes in osteoprotegerin levels in the post-operative bone healing period. AIM The aim of the study was to evaluate OPG as immunological caliper of bone healing. MATERIAL AND METHODS OPG was evaluated in nine patients seeking orthognathic surgery. Patients were examined and checked to be medically and immunologically free prior to surgery. Blood samples were collected immediate pre-operative as control group and for six weeks post-operative as study group. RESULTS Data were collected from nine consecutive patients. The results showed higher levels of OPG. it showed significant increase in the immediate post-operative value (p = 0.001) which started to increase gradually during the six weeks (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Significant higher levels of OPG during the healing period of orthognathic surgery suggest the its use as immunological caliper of bone healing.