Oral Reconstructions- Bone Graft Materials

Bone is one of the most commonly transplanted tissues of the human body. Bone as a graft may be applied in contour augmentation, strengthening and stabilization roles in congenital and acquired aesthetic as well as post traumatic deformities. Bone grafts are viewed as biologic structures; in addition, for long term healing process of bone grafts- mechanical stress, shear stress, contouring and remodelling are important. The selection of an ideal bone graft relies on several factors such as tissue viability, defect size, graft size, shape and volume, biomechanical characteristics, graft handling, cost, ethical issues, biological characteristics, and associated complications. The materials used in bone grafting can be divided into several major categories, including autografts, allografts, and xenografts. Synthetic and biologically based, tissue-engineered biomaterials and combinations of these substitutes are other options. With advances in bone graft materials, the ability to repair or regenerate bone tissue is developing, and its applications are expanding. In this, we discuss some of the available scientific evidence on different types of bone graft and their characteristics.