Long-term histopathologic evaluation of bioactive glass and human-derived graft materials in Macaca fascicularis mandibular ridge reconstruction.

Objectives: To evaluate the long-term clinical and histologic characteristics of alveolar ridge bone regenerated by 2 different types of bone graft materials in a Macaca fascicularis (nonhuman primate) species animal.

Methods: Bilateral osseous defects created in edentulous mandibular alveolar ridges in a nonhuman primate were grafted with bioactive glass (alloplast) on 1 side, and with human demineralized bone matrix (xenograft) on the contralateral side, with each covered by a dermomatrix barrier membrane before mucoperiosteal tissue flap closure and suturing. At 4 years posttreatment, surgical re-entry was performed, and bone core biopsies were obtained from each of the grafted edentulous alveolar ridges, placed in 10% formalin, and processed for light microscopic analysis.