Synthetic Bone Substitute Materials

Authors: Jonathan Du Toit ; Howard Gluckman

An exploration of the properties of different synthetic biomaterials, with clinical case examples and their indications.

It is undeniable that in terms of ideal bone healing for implant osseointegration, an autograft
offers the best clinical outcomes and is widely considered “the gold standard.”
Nevertheless, replacement options are necessary, and a wide variety of synthetically fabricated
alloplasts are available to fill this task.

The literature is abundant with numerous clinical studies reporting on the use of animal-derived bone grafts, yet the quality of bone that is regenerated with xenografts is still considered suboptimal. Often understated are the relevance and interest of synthetic bone substitute materials. They offer the major advantage of being manufactured in unlimited supply without the variability that exists with allografts. Considering the advantages and disadvantages of each of the four classes of bone grafts, synthetic materials have been shown to offer regenerative potential that may be preferred under certain clinical indications. This chapter provides a background on the numerous types of synthetically fabricated biomaterials and compares their biologic properties and resorption patterns. Furthermore, clinical case examples are presented with synthetic bone grafts, and their clinical indications are discussed.

Published In:
Next-Generation Biomaterials for Bone and Periodontal Regeneration(2019)

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