Fresh-frozen allografts combined with bovine bone mineral enhance bone formation in sinus augmentation

Abstract

We evaluated histologically, histomorphometrically, and tomographically the effects of the association of fresh-frozen bone allograft (FFB) with bovine bone mineral (BBM) in maxillary sinus floor augmentation. In total, 34 maxillary sinuses from 29 patients, with a mean age of 51.32 (±6.44) years, underwent sinus augmentation. Patients were divided into control and test groups (17 sinuses each). The controls were grafted with allograft bone, and the test group received a combination of FFB and BBM at a 2:1 ratio. After 6 months, bone samples were collected for histological and histomorphometric examinations. The implant survival rates were 93.02% (control group) and 100% (test group) at 6 months after functional loading. Median volumetric reductions of 28.32% (17.05–44.05) and 12.62% (5.65–16.87) were observed for the control and test groups, respectively. Statistically significant histomorphometric differences were found between the control and test groups regarding newly formed bone 12.54% (10.50–13.33) vs. 24.42% (17.62–35.92), p < 0.001, total bone 48.34% (39.03–54.42) vs. 61.32% (50.61–64.96), p = 0.007, and connective tissue 51.66% (45.57–60.97) vs. 39.30% (35.03–49.37), p = 0.007. The addition of BBM to allograft bone in maxillary sinus augmentation resulted in higher percentages of new bone formation and total bone, and permitted implant placement with a low rate of osseointegration failure at the 6-month follow-up.