Background/aim: The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of cigarette smoke (CS) and simultaneous application of resveratrol on bone healing histomorphometrically and to evaluate the effects of resveratrol on negative effects of CS. Materials and methods: For 4 weeks, Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to cigarette smoke at the equivalent of 6 cigarettes per day. After this period, monocortical defects were created in femurs by a trephine bur on day 28. Starting from the day of defect creation to the 28th postoperative day, rats were given 20 mg/kg body weight resveratrol. Histomorphometric examination of the number of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, as well as new bone area, was conducted. Results: Investigations were carried out on 33 rats. Differences between osteoblast numbers in the control and CS groups were significant, and CS caused a reduction in the number of osteoblasts. Areas of new bone formation in the resveratrol and control groups were higher than in the smoking and smoking+resveratrol groups. Conclusion: Smoking appeared to have adverse effects upon bone healing and resveratrol administration helped to reduce these effects.