Treatment of a Large Postextraction Buccal Wall Defect with Mineralized Allograft, ß-TCP, and rhPDGF-BB: A Growth Factor-Mediated Bone Regenerative Approach

Buccal wall defects following tooth removal are frequent in the anterior portions of the mandible and maxilla. Common reasons for such defects include thin buccal bone, preexisting periodontal disease, bundle bone resorption, difficult orthodontic movement, and traumatic extractions. Regeneration of the postextraction defect with vital, well-vascularized, dense bone is critical to a successful implant-supported restoration. This case report examines the effectiveness of using a composite graft of freeze-dried bone allograft and ß-tricalcium phosphate plus recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor BB to regenerate healthy, dense bone in a large mandibular anterior buccal wall defect. The importance of access to the overlying periosteum as a readily available source of osteogenic cells in growth factor-mediated bone regenerative procedures is emphasized.