Effect of rh-BMP-2 in the Initiation of Neovascularization in Human Gingival Tissue: A Split-Mouth Clinical Study

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect on the initiation of new blood vessel formation of rh-BMP-2 administration in the human gingival tissue during bone regeneration surgery.

The randomized controlled clinical trial included twenty patients with bilateral partial edentulous of the mandibular premolar and molar region. Each patient received one implants on each side. Only one side received a 0.25 µg injection of rhBMP-2 into the gingival flap and grafted material during guided bone regeneration (GBR) for dental implantation. And the other side received GBR without injection. Three samples were collected from each patient as follows: one from the anterior area of the mandible (control group #1) collected at the time of all implant surgeries, and the two other samples during the placement of healing abutments at 4 months of follow-up, from treated side with rh-BMP-2 (test group) and untreated ones (control group #2). A total of 60 gingival samples were collected. Samples were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, and immunohistochemistry was performed with a vascular endothelial growth factor marker. The number of new vessels in each sample was counted.

Statistical analyses showed a significantly higher number of new vessels in the gingival tissue of the test group.

Rh-BMP-2 injections into the gingival flap significantly improved new blood vessel formation.