Objectives: This study aimed to immunohistochemically evaluate staged guided bone regeneration and osseointegration of titanium implants using two bone graft substitutes in combination with a polyethylene glycol (PEG) membrane in a dog model.
Materials and methods: Saddle-type alveolar ridge defects were prepared in the lower jaws of 12 foxhounds and randomly filled with a natural bone mineral (NBM) or a biphasic calcium phosphate (SBC) and covered with an in situ gelling PEG membrane. After a healing period of 8 and 12 weeks (six animals each), modSLA titanium implants were inserted to heal in a submerged position. At 8 + 2 and 12 + 2 weeks, respectively, dissected blocks were processed for immunohistochemical analysis [osteocalcin (OC)].
Results: After 8 + 2 weeks, mean OC values (%) tended to be higher in the NBM group (NBM, 32.7 ± 8.9%), but failed to reach statistical significance over the SBC group (SBC, 24.4 ± 6.6%). After 12 + 2 weeks, mean OC values decreased in both groups and was almost identical in both groups (NBM 1.6 ± 1.2%/SBC 2.1 ± 1.4%).
Conclusion: It was concluded that all augmentation procedures investigated were characterised by a comparable OC activity during the process of bone regeneration and osseointegration of modSLA titanium implants.