Clinical and histologic evaluation of calcium carbonate in sinus augmentation: a case series

The aim of this case series was a clinical, histologic, and histomorphometric evaluation of calcium carbonate in sinus elevation procedures. Sinus augmentation was performed in the atrophic maxillae of 24 subjects using calcium carbonate. Six months after the regeneration procedures, 68 implants were placed and clinically followed for 1 to 5 years, depending on the placement timing. At the last implant placement procedure, 8 bone cores were harvested and processed for histology. After a 6-month healing period, sinuses grafted with calcium carbonate showed a mean vertical bone gain of 6.93 ± 0.23 mm. The histomorphometric analysis revealed 15% ± 3% residual grafted biomaterial, 28% ± 2% newly formed bone, and 57% ± 2% marrow spaces. The implant survival rate was 98.5%. It can be concluded that calcium carbonate was shown to be clinically suitable for sinus elevation procedures after 1 to 5 years of follow-up and histologically biocompatible and osteoconductive.