Engineered Bone by Autologous Osteoblasts on Polymeric Scaffolds in Maxillary Sinus Augmentation: Histologic Report
Several regenerative therapies have been used for maxillary sinus grafting. However, recent advances in modern bone tissue engineering techniques have been evaluated. The aim of this histologic report was to evaluate the bone obtained by a culture of autogenous osteoblasts seeded on polyglycolic-polylactid scaffolds in maxillary sinus augmentation. A 56-year-old partially edentulous male with severe atrophy of the posterior maxilla received 6 polyglycolid-polylactid disks (8 mm diameter × 2 mm depth, Oral Bone), each carrying 1.5 million autogenous osteoblasts into the depth of the sinus cavity. After 6 months healing, a bone core was harvested and histologically evaluated. The augmented maxillary sinus with engineered bone presented a mean of 28.89% and 71.11% of bone and medullary spaces, respectively. Data from this case report demonstrate that the newly formed bone provided by engineered bone tissue allowed proper initial stability for dental implant placement. However, the role of this new bone in the long-term success of dental implant anchorage needs further investigation.Abstract

Preoperatory view of severe atrophy of the posterior maxilla. (a) Axial view. (b) Panoramic view. (c) Detail of each slice.

Postoperative view of the augmented maxillary sinus. (a) Coronal view. (b) Lateral view.

(a and b) Ground sections of the bone biopsies retrieved after a 6 month healing period (Basic fuchsin and toluidine blue staining, original magnification ×12). (c) Larger magnification of the biopsy specimen. Arrows show the incremental basophilic lines mixed with interposed reversion lines (Basic fuchsin and toluidine blue staining, original magnification ×140). (d) Presence of several osteocytes in newly formed bone (Basic fuchsin and toluidine blue staining, original magnification ×140). (e) Some empty spaces are filled with connective tissue without signs of inflammation (Basic fuchsin and toluidine blue staining, original magnification ×140).
Contributor Notes