A comparison of bone reconstruction following application of bone matrix gelatin and autogenous bone grafts to alveolar defects: An animal study

The aim of this study was to compare the quantity and quality of osseous healing of bone matrix gelatin (BMG) with autogenous bone graft (ABG) in cat models. Osseous defects (5 x 5 mm) were made through upper alveolar bone distal to the canines in the left and right quadrants (maxilla) in each of twelve Persian male cats and filled randomly with BMG and ABG. The repair response was examined on days 14, 28, and 56 after surgery (n = 4 per bone substitute per time point). Qualitative histological and quantitative histometric analysis including percentage of new formed bone fill (BF) and density were done. The inter-treatment comparison of mean levels of BF at specific time points showed consistently greater levels within BMG treated defects and reached significance on days 14, 28, and 56 (P < 0.05). Regarding bone density (BD), there was no significant difference between BMG and ABG on days 14 and 28 (P > 0.05). On day 56, BD was significantly higher within BMG group (P < 0.05). Intra-treatment evaluation of bone formation in each group showed that BD significantly increased during treatment (P < 0.05), and BF in BMG group reached significance at every time point but in ABG group only increase from day 28 to 56 reached significance (P < 0.05). Our results support the use of BMG to treat bone defects. Clinicians might expect better clinical outcomes without the possibility of side effects and morbidity associated with the harvest of autogenous bone. (C) 2009 European Association for CranioMaxillo-Facial Surgery