Sinus Floor Elevation Using Anorganic Bovine Bone Matrix (OsteoGraf/N) with and Without Autogenous Bone: A Clinical, Histologic, Radiographic, and Histomorphometric Analysis - Part 2 of an Ongoing Prospective Study

One of the goals of the sinus elevation procedure is the creation of vital bone to effect the osseointegration of dental implants placed in the posterior maxilla. With this goal in mind, in 1993 the Department of Implant Dentistry at New York University College of Dentistry began a long-term clinical, histologic, histomorphometric, and radiographic study of the sinus elevation procedure. The primary parameters included the effects of graft material selection, time allowed for graft maturation, and the effect of barrier membrane placement on the creation of vital bone in the sinus cavity. The effects of these and other parameters on implant survival rates were also to be evaluated. This paper reports the data collected on a subgroup of 113 sinus elevations that used anorganic bovine bone matrix (OsteoGraf/N) alone or in combination with autogenous bone and/or demineralized freeze-dried bone as a graft material. This is the second in a proposed series of papers that will result from this ongoing research project. The results of this study indicate that: OsteoGraf/N appears to be an effective graft material with a 98.2% implant survival rate to date; vital bone formation increased with time; vital bone formation increased moderately when demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft was added, and increased substantially when intraoral autogenous bone was added or when an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane was used; and the increased height achieved by the procedure was stable over a 3-year period. Because of the high overall implant survival rate, it was not possible to determine the relationship between vital bone formation or membrane usage and implant survival.