Collagen Versus Xenograft Bovine Bone Inserted Into Extraction Sockets: Healing and Pain Management

Different materials can be used in filling the extraction socket to achieve an alveolar ridge preservation. The present study compared the wound healing potential and pain management efficacy of the collagen and the xenograft bovine bone, covered by a cellulose mesh, inserted into the socket of extracted teeth.

Thirteen patients were willingly chosen to enter our split-mouth study. It was a clinical trial of crossover design with a minimum of two teeth to be extracted for each patient. Randomly, one of the alveolar sockets was filled with collagen material as Collaplug^®, and the second alveolar socket was filled with xenograft bovine bone substitute Bio-Oss^® and covered with a cellulose mesh Surgicel^®. Post-extraction follow-up was observed at day 3, 7 and 14, and each participant was told to document his/her pain experience in our prepared Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) document for 7 consecutive days.

Clinically, the differential wound closure potential between the two groups was significant in the buccolingual (P = 0.045) but not significant in the mesiodistal (P = 0.204) mouth areas. The pain expressed as rated in the NRS was higher in the case of the Bio-Oss^®, but there was no significant difference upon comparing the two procedures for 7 consecutive days (P = 0.397) except on day 5 (P = 0.004).

Collagen appears to support faster wound healing rate, higher potential influence on socket healing and decreased pain perception than xenograft bovine bone.