Supracrestal Bone Regeneration Around Dental Implants Using a Calcium Carbonate and a Fibrin-Fibronectin Sealing System: Clinical and Histologic Evidence

This study evaluated a new surgical technique for the treatment of an alveolar ridge deficiency in 11 patients. Twenty-two implants were placed, 15 of which presented with a combination of supracrestal and dehiscence kinds of defects, and seven presented only supracrestal bone loss. Surgical procedures were performed utilizing a combination of the resorbable spacemaking material calcium carbonate stabi lized with a fibrin-fibronectin sealing system and the immediate placement of titanium dental implants. After implant placement, the mean height for supracrestal and dehiscence defects measured 2.57 ± 1.41 mm and 2.47 =- 1.54 mm, respectively. The defects were filled with calcium carbonate and a fibrin-fibronectin sealing system, and the flaps were sutured, avoiding any compression of the treated area. Healing was uneventful in all instances. At second-stage surgery at 6 months, a hard bonelike tissue was detectable at the defect sites. Histologic examination of four defects confirmed the presence of newly formed bone and revealed residual particles of calcium carbonate. There was a mean gain of 2.05 ± 1.47 mm in the supracrestal defects and of 2.23 ± 1.62 mm in the dehiscences. The results indicated that calcium carbonate, combined with a fibrin-fibronectin sealing system, is a viable alterantive in the treatment of supracrestal and dehiscence bony defects