Bone marrow aspirate versus two bone autograft types in reconstruction of alveolar cleft: A histomorphometric analysis

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare histomorphometrically between bone marrow aspirate on a collagen carrier with autogenous bone grafts harvested from two different donor sites in alveolar cleft defect repair.Materials and Methods: eighteen patients with alveoalar cleft defect were included in the study. Twelve out of eighteen patients were reconstructed with auotogenous bone graft; six patients grafted with illium bone graft and six patients grafted with chin bone graft. The remaining patients out of eighteen were reconstructed using bone marrow aspirate implanted on a collagen carrier. Six months after grafting, bone specimens from augmented alveolar ridge sites were retrieved by trephine burs for histomorphometric analysis. Results: Good consolidation of the grafts have been observed, this was demonstrated by intense osteogenesis indicating an active remodeling process. In all groups, the improvement in bone quality of the receptor site was clear with no statistical significance between the groups, however, the autografts presented better bone quality.Conclusions: From this study it was possible to conclude that quality of bone repair using autogenous bone graft is superior to bone marrow aspirate. The time needed for bone maturation is less when chin or iliac autogenous grafts have been used in comparison to the bone marrow aspirate.