Restoration of occlusal function using osseointegrated implants in the canine mandible reconstructed by rhBMP-2.

Bone morphogenetic proteins have been found to be one of the most promising osteoinductive substances and they are expected to be utilized clinically for the reconstruction of defective mandibles. However, newly formed bone induced by recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) has not yet been proven able to withstand the masticatory force applied by oral implants. In this study, we examined the qualitative changes in an rhBMP-2-induced mandible from the functional force of osseointegrated oral implants.