Frozen Stored Teeth: Autogenous Dentin as an Alternative Augmentation Material in Dentistry

Area of Science:

• Dental grafting materials
• Biomaterials preservation
• Periodontal regeneration

Background:

• The Tooth Shell Technique (TST) utilizes autologous dentin for lateral ridge augmentation.
• Investigating methods to preserve autologous dentin for grafting is crucial for clinical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of using lyophilized (freeze-dried) processed autologous dentin for TST.
• To compare the clinical outcomes of frozen stored dentin matrix (FST) with immediately used dentin (IUT).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective feasibility study comparing FST (19 patients, 26 implants) and IUT (23 patients, 32 implants).
• Evaluation parameters included biological complications, hard tissue loss, osseointegration, and buccal lamella integrity over a 5-month observation period.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in crestal width or buccal lamella resorption between FST and IUT groups.
• Osseointegration and buccal lamella integrity were achieved in all implants.
• Minor complications (wound dehiscence, inflammation, suppuration) occurred in 3 cases in the IUT group, with none in the FST group.

Conclusions:

• Lyophilization (freezing) of autologous dentin is a viable preservation method for TST.
• Frozen stored autologous dentin demonstrates comparable safety and efficacy to immediately used dentin for lateral ridge augmentation.