Purpose: This study aimed to topographically examine the healing of mineralized human bone allograft in sinus augmentation.
Materials and methods: Thirty-two patients with crestal bone height ≤ 2 mm who required sinus augmentation were recruited for the study. A mixture of 80/20 cortical/cancellous mineralized human bone allografts were used to augment the sinus floor using a crestal window approach. A bone core biopsy specimen was taken at the time of implant placement, 6 months after surgery. Microradiographs of methacrylate-embedded sections were split into five longitudinal sectors (crestal to sinusal) to topographically assess the bone, graft, and fibrous tissue amount.
Results: All implants were osseointegrated 3 months later without any adverse effects. The polynomial (degree 2) of results (all with great correlation coefficient, P < .01) gave rise to a polynomial curve of graft percentage with a maximum at sector 4 (presinusal), a bone percentage with a minimum between sectors 3 and 4, and a fibrous tissue percentage with a maximum between sectors 3 and 4.
Conclusion: Based upon topographic analysis, mineralized human bone allograft is capable of achieving adequate vertical bone height for implant placement. The need for a topographic analysis to assess the outcomes of sinus augmentation is emphasized.