Blood-filled spaces with and without deproteinized bone grafts in guided bone regeneration. A histomorphometric study of the rabbit skull using non-resorbable membrane

This experimental study evaluated the effects of deproteinized bone grafts on guided bone regeneration (GBR). A groove was made in the bone marrow of the external cortical plate of the skull. A dome of non-resorbable membrane was placed on the groove and secured with titanium pins. The secluded graft space was filled with autogenous blood clots (control group) and deproteinized bone particles (experimental group). The rabbits were sacrified 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after the operation. Decalcified and paraffin-embedded, transverse 3-μm-thick sections were made and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The proportions of newly formed bone and newly formed bone-graft particle contact surfaces were histomorphometrically measured in the basal, central, and peripheral areas from the cortical plate to the top of the dome. In the control group, the basal area showed a significant increase at 4 weeks (P