Applications of biomaterials for bone augmentation of jaws: clinical outcomes and in vitro studies

Partially or totally edentulous jaws frequently undergoes from moderate to severe bone atrophy with problems of prosthetic rehabilitation. The inability to make a prosthetic rehabilitation on implants may led to the use of a partial or total removable denture with difficulties in eating and speech, ulcerations of the oral mucosa and loss of facial vertical dimension. These problems may be solved performing bone augmentation procedures. Bone grafts and distraction osteogenesis brought implant dentistry from an experimental practice to become a consolidate dental procedure. Bone grafts, in particular, are currently a valuable treatment modality for the prosthetic rehabilitation. Numerous biomaterials have been developed for the rehabilitation of partially or totally edentulous jaws with fixed or removable dentures. The aim of this paper is to describe biomaterials for bone augmentation. Biomaterials are gradually resorbed by the osteoclasts and replaced by new bone formed through osteoblastic activity. Many biomaterials have been studied, but the most common are as follows: Allogro®, Algipore®, Osteobiol®, Peptide-15, Engipore®, Medpore®, Osteoplant®, Calcium sulfate, Perioglass®, Bio-Oss®, Calcium phosphate.