Implantology or implant dentistry is a fast-growing industry. It is reported that the global dental implant market was valued at $ 3.77 billion in 2016 growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.7% over the forecast period (2018–2024) [1]. The USA holds a substantial market share due to the growing demand of dental implant treatment (Grand View Research, 2018, Figs 1 and 2). The 2009 and 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by investigators at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) pointed out that among adults in the USA, 8.7% have mild periodontitis, 30% have moderate periodontitis, and 8.5% have severe periodontitis [2]. Sixty-four percent of the population 65 years or older have periodontitis [2], indicating a large number of people in the USA are potential implant patients. With the fast increase in dental implant demand of $6.82 billion globally in 2024 as estimated upon data in Grand View Research, 2018, we are facing substantial challenges increase in peri-implantitis which is a challenge to long term survival of implants. A recent investigation indicates that the prevalence of peri-implantitis approximates 10% of implants and 20% of patients 5–10 years after implant placement [3]. Though investigators have revealed that the etiology of the peri-implant infection is similar to periodontitis [4,5,6,7], clinically there is no effective treatment. Implantation in patients with severe systemic conditions, i.e., severe diabetes, lupus, osteoporosis, organ transplant, and cancer with intensive radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy is another challenge to implant dentistry for lack of scientific research data. Animal models are crucial to help investigators reveal the mechanisms underlying these disorders. Variant animal implant models have been reported including mice, rats, rabbits, guinea pigs, dogs, sheep, goats, and nonhuman primates [8]. Genetically, both mice and rats are more than 90% similarities to human beings which are as high as all the other animals used to be implant animal models except for nonhuman primates. Biologically and economically, rats are the best animal models. In dental implant research, mice could not provide clinical compatible and macro-level measurable data for implant osseointegration and peri-implantitis in oral cavity due to lacking enough cancellous bone to support an implant more than 1 mm in length.