Objectives: The purpose of this animal research was to compare bone regeneration in augmented rabbit maxillary sinuses treated with demineralized particulate human-tooth graft and anorganic bovine bone by immunohistochemical analysis.
Materials and methods: Piezoelectric bilateral sinus augmentation was performed in eight adult rabbits. In the control group, anorganic bovine was grafted in the maxillary sinus following elevation of the sinus membrane. In the experimental group, demineralized human particulate tooth bone was grafted in the sinus. Bone regeneration in augmented sinuses was evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis using various markers of osteoprogenitor cells.
Results: The number of bromodeoxyuridine-labeled cells was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group at eight weeks. The immunoreactivity of proliferating-cell nuclear antigen was increased slightly in the experimental group relative to the control group at eight weeks. Other bone markers were expressed equally in the two groups.
Conclusion: In the rabbit maxillary sinus, higher osteoinduction was correlated with demineralized human particulate tooth bone grafting than with anorganic bovine grafting.
Keywords: Demineralized tooth bone; Immunohistochemical assay; Maxillary sinus lift; Replaceable bony window.