Implant Insertion into an Augmented Bone Region Using the Canine Mandible Augmented by the "Casing Method"

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of bone augmentation using the "Casing Method," which enables large-scale osteogenesis, and the feasibility of using the augmented bone in dental implants. Three Beagle dogs were used. After tooth extraction, a polyethylene terephthalate case (20 mm × 5 mm × 10 mm) was placed on the buccal surface of the mandible. A mixture of hydroxyapatite and beta-tricalcium phosphate (volume ratio = 1:1) was infiltrated into a suspension of autologous superfine bone powder and plasma, and the resulting mixture was packed into the case. After 16 weeks, the implant was inserted into the augmented bone and the original bone. Specimens of the mandible were collected at 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks after implant insertion, and undecalcified sections were prepared. The integration of the implant into the surrounding bone tissue was observed histologically. Favorable bone formation was observed in the regions where bone augmentation was performed. The space between the cut bone surface and the implant was filled with newly formed bone in both the augmented and original bone regions. In addition, there was higher bone density in the augmented bone than that in the original bone at the coronal half of the implant at 16 weeks. As a result, bone-to-implant contact was significantly higher in the augmented bone region than in the original bone region. These results suggest that bone augmentation surgery using the "Casing Method" is an effective technique for expanding the application of dental implants. Anat Rec, 301:892-901, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.