Dentine as an ossicular substitute. Experimental results in animals

The fate of dentine grafts of autogenous, allogeneic and xenogeneic origin has been studied in rats both in muscle and in the middle ear. The dentine has been implanted fresh, autoclaved, Cialit-preserved and demineralised. Xenogeneic material tends to extrude from the ear and not to form a functional union with the structures it contacts. Fresh or Cialit-preserved, autogenous or allogeneic material, eventually stimulate new bone formation and usually become incorporated into the host ossicular chain; however, continuing resorptive activity is present. Autoclaved material does not result in new bone formation; demineralised allogeneic material stimulates very active new bone formation in the ossicular chain. It is concluded that non-demineralised dentine, on account of resorption, is inferior to ossicular grafts as a tympanoplastic material. Demineralised dentine, by virtue of its bone-inductive potential, may be of value in tympanoplasty.