Performance of an alloplastic material versus a mineralized allograft in alveolar ridge preservation: Clinical, micro-CT and histological analyses

Abstract

Socket graft materials function as scaffolds for bone formation to preserve the alveolar ridge. The study aimed to evaluate alveolar ridge change and socket healing after grafting with an alloplast or allograft at 3 months post-extraction. In sixteen patients, 20 extracted sockets were grafted with biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) or freeze-dried bone allograft (FDBA) and sealed with a platelet-rich fibrin. Alveolar ridge dimensions were assessed at immediate, 2, 6, 8, and 12 weeks postoperatively using cast-based measurements. After 12-week, ridge reduction was assessed by Cone-Beam CT (CBCT), the percentage of bone, and residual graft volumes and areas were assessed by using micro-CT and histomorphometry of bone biopsy specimens . Socket orifice of both groups was completely healed from 6 to 8 weeks. FDBA particles were blended with the surrounding bone better than BCP significantly ( P = 0.001). At a 12-week, the width and height reduction from cast-based of BCP (1.70 ± 1.10 mm , 0.72 ± 0.38 mm ) and FDBA (1.97 ± 0.83 mm , 0.66 ± 0.21 mm ) were agreed with CBCT (width: BCP 0.92 ± 0.34 mm , FDBA 0.98 ± 0.15 mm, buccal height: 0.49 ± 0.25 mm , 0.34 ± 0.25 mm , palatal height: 0.42 ± 0.13 mm , 0.35 ± 0.12 mm ) without significant difference. The bone volume and area of BCP (16.89 ± 7.46%, 18.40 ± 7.20%) were less than FDBA (22.37 ± 9.61%, 20.17 ± 4.59%) without statistical difference. The residual graft area of BCP (29.38 ± 7.96%) was higher than FDBA (22.50 ± 2.64%) significantly ( P < 0.05). The alloplast, BCP promoted less bone formation than the allograft, FDBA, but similarly preserved the alveolar ridge with minimal ridge reduction.