Bone graft substitutes: a comparative qualitative histologic review of current osteoconductive grafting materials

This paper investigated the osteogenic potential of 6 osteoconductive grafting materials derived from human, bovine, and synthetic sources: HTR, BOP, Biogran, Laddec, Dembone, and Osteograf. Twenty-eight New Zealand rabbits were used in this study. The active group consisted of 24 animals and the control group consisted of 4 animals. The median condyle of each tibia was drilled with a 5-mm-diameter bur to form 8 mm-deep cavities. A control group included 8 osseous cavities, with 1 hole in each tibia. These cavities were washed and left unfilled. In the active group, each grafting material filled 8 osseous cavities in 8 tibiae of different animals. Half of the active and control osseous cavities were investigated with decalcified hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections. The other half were studied with scanning electron microscopy. It was concluded that Laddec bovine bone granules possessed the best potential for an osteoconductive grafting material, followed by the bioglass crystals of Biogran and the hydroxyapatite particles of Osteograf, respectively. The least potential for rapid bone formation was demonstrated by the copolymers of HTR and BOP, and Dembone allograft bone particles did not reveal active bone healing.