Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of recombinant human bone morphogenic protein type-2 (rhBMP-2) on the alveolar ridge in the post-extraction socket in humans.
Method and materials: 20 subjects with 25 teeth of the maxilla were included (11 sockets in the control [blood clot] and 14 in the test group [rhBMP-2]). The teeth were minimally and traumatically extracted. CBCT images were obtained 2 (T0) and 120 (T1) days after extraction. The buccal bone wall height, palatal bone wall height, and alveolar area were compared between both groups, as well as the volumetric contraction through overlapped images (T1 − T0) using Mimics software. The data were compared using the Mann–Whitney test (P .05).
Results: The intragroup evaluation showed a significant buccal and palatal crest height resorption in the control group (P .05). In the intergroup assessment, the test group was superior to the control group in maintaining the average alveolar ridge area since the control group showed an area loss of approximately 39% between T0 and T1, whereas this reduction was approximately 15% in the test group (P .05).
Conclusion: It is possible to conclude that using rhBMP-2 after tooth extraction resulted in better socket preservation, maintaining 2.5 times greater bone availability in the alveolar ridge than that of the control group.