The effect of cigarette smoke versus vaporized nicotine on healing of a rat femur

•In a rat femur fracture model, no significant differences were seen in total, mature or immature mineralized bone between groups exposed to combusted tobacco, vaporized nicotine or controls.•Non-significant, but important trends were seen toward lower volume of total mineralized bone and immature bone in the vaporized nicotine group compared to controls and combusted tobacco.•Biomechanical testing revealed no significant difference in torsional stiffness or maximum torque between the three groups.•No significant difference was identified on histologic analysis between the three groups.