Large Bone Vertical Augmentation Using a Three-Dimensional Printed TCP/HA Bone Graft: A Pilot Study in Dog Mandible

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Background:

• Osteoflux is a novel, 3D printed porous calcium phosphate scaffold designed for oral bone augmentation.
• It offers mechanical stability, interconnected porosity, and adaptability to the bone bed's shape.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Osteoflux in stimulating vertical bone growth in the canine mandible.
• To assess the scaffold's potential for promoting new bone formation in an augmented defect model.

Main Methods:

• Four 3D Osteoflux blocks were implanted in edentulous mandibular segments of dogs.
• Care was taken to avoid creating significant defects during preparation to isolate the scaffold's effect.
• Histomorphometric analysis was conducted after 8 weeks of healing.

Main Results:

• Significant vertical bone growth, reaching up to 4.5 mm, was observed from the bone bed.
• New bone formation varied with height, with 44% surface fill at 0-1 mm and decreasing percentages at higher levels.
• New bone was uniformly distributed, creating a natural mandibular crest contour.

Conclusions:

• The 3D printed Osteoflux scaffold effectively induced new bone growth in a canine mandibular model over 8 weeks.
• The new bone exhibited even distribution in height and density, promising for oral augmentation.
• Further comprehensive studies are warranted to validate these encouraging findings.