A pilot study of Cerasorb and Bio-Oss enhanced new bone formation in animal model

The aim of this pilot investigation was to develop a new animal model for studying the effects on osteogenesis of agents used in the guided bone regeneration technique. As test material, a mixture of two osseoconductive materials with different physico-chemical characteristics was used. One component of the mixture was Bio-Oss, a bovine hydroxyapatite; the other was Cerasorb, a synthetic tricalcium phosphate. The mixture consisited of 50 volume percent of Bio-Oss and 50 volume percent of Cerasorb. In in vivo pilot experiment, bone wounds were prepared in the proximal third of both femurs of rabbits. A Cerasorb + Bio-Oss mixture was inserted on the test side and the same amount of sterile buffered physiological solution on the control side. After healing for 4 weeks, the bone segments were embedded and cut without decalcification, using the Exact cutting and grinding system. The density of the newly-formed bone was evaluated histomorphometrically. On the Cerasorb + Bio-Oss test side the bone density was almost 1.5 times higher than that on the control side. These results demonstrated that the applied animal model is appropriate for investigation of the effects on osteogenesis of biocompatible graft materials such as Bio-Oss and Cerasorb.