Long-term stability of autogenous bone grafts following combined application with guided bone regeneration

The aim of the study was to compare the long-term stability of membranous and endochondral autogenous bone grafts with or without combined application of guided bone regeneration (GBR). Twenty-five, male, 6-month old, albino rats were used in the study. The animals were divided into four groups (A5, A11, B5 and B11). Group A5 (control): The inferior border of the mandible was exposed in both sides. At one side of the jaw, a calvarial bone graft (baseline -3 x 4 x 0.64 mm) was placed at the inferior border of the mandible and was fixed with a standardized screw-type titanium microimplant. At the contralateral side, an ischiac bone graft (baseline -3 x 4 x 0.87) was transplanted. The healing period was 5 months. Group A11 (control): The animals were treated in the same manner as in Group A5 with the difference that the healing period was 11 months. Group B5 (test): The animals were treated in the same manner as in Group A5 with the difference that an e-PTFE membrane was adapted over the bone graft on each side of the jaw. Group B11 (test): The animals were treated in the same manner as in Group B5 with the difference that 5 months following transplantation the animals were subjected to a second operation and the membranes were removed. The healing period was 11 months. The animals were killed at 5 (Groups A5 and B5) or at 11 months (Groups A11 and B11) following mandibular augmentation and the jaws were defleshed. The width, the length and the thickness/height of the bone graft were evaluated by means of a stereomicroscope. At 5 months, both types of the membrane-treated bone grafts presented increase in all dimensions compared with baseline. However at 11 months, both types of the membrane-treated bone grafts exhibited a decrease in their dimensions which were similar to the baseline measurements. In the control groups, both types of bone graft presented significant resorption both at 5 and at 11 months with the ischiac bone grafts presenting more resorption in width and length than the calvarial bone grafts. It can be concluded that the long-term volume stability of autogenous endochondral and membranous onlay bone grafts combined with GBR is superior to that of autogenous endochondral and membranous onlay bone grafts alone.