Background: Autologous bone is the standard material used for augmentations in oral-maxillofacial surgery. Depending on the origin of the graft, subsequent bone resorption may vary.
Study design: This prospective study evaluated 57 patients receiving 2-stage sinus floor augmentations. Monocortical samples were taken at the site of bone harvesting, including the posterior (n = 28) and anterior pelvic (n = 15) and retromolar (n = 14) regions. At second-stage surgery, 6 months after the implant insertion, bone cores were harvested at the site of implant placement. All samples were analyzed by microradiography.
Results: Mean retromolar mineralization was 68.7% +/- 8.75%; 35.1% +/- 7.6% in the anterior and 30.7% +/- 9.5% in the posterior iliac crest. Areas augmented with grafts originating from the retromolar region showed a significant decrease to 53.0% +/- 5.15% (P = .001). A stable mineralization of 36.1% +/- 7.59% was found in sites where bone grafts from the anterior pelvic crest were used. Grafts from the posterior pelvis showed a slight increase to 34.5% +/- 6.5%.
Conclusion: This prospective clinical study demonstrates the differences in mineralization depending on the origin of autogenous bone. Even after 6 months, these values could still be correlated to the transplants origin.