Preservation and regeneration of alveolar bone by tissue-engineered implants.

Bone maintenance after dental extraction has a significant impact on the success of future treatment. The purpose of this study was to regenerate bone by implanting an engineered porous scaffold seeded with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in a socket created by extraction of the lower left central incisor in rabbits, utilizing the principles of tissue engineering. It involved preparation and characterization of three-dimensional porous hollow root form scaffolds consisting of a poly-L-lactic acid:polyglycolic acid composite (PLG, 50:50), using a solvent casting/compression molding/particulate leaching technique.