Histomorphometric Evaluation of Anorganic Bovine Bone Coverage to Reduce Autogenous Grafts Resorption: Preliminary Results

Physiologic resorption due to remodeling processes affects autogenous corticocancellous grafts in the treatment of atrophic jawbone alveolar ridges. Such a situation in the past made overgrafting of the recipient site mandatory to get enough bone support to dental implants in order to perform a prosthetic rehabilitation. Anorganic bovine bone, conventionally used to treat alveolar bone deficiencies in implant surgery, showed a high osteoconductive property thanks to its micro and macrostructure very similar to that of human hydroxyapatite. An original technique provides for the application of a thin layer of anorganic bovine bone granules and a collagen membrane on the top of the corticocancellous onlay bone grafts to reduce in a remarkable way the graft resorption due to remodeling. The results of a clinical prospective study and a histomorphometric analysis done on autogenous grafts harvested from the iliac crest showed that the proposed technique is able to maintain the original bone volume of the corticocancellous blocks.