Bone healing of critical size defects in rabbit calvarium using bone substitutes

The purpose of this investigation was to assess bone regeneration in critical sized defects in the rabbit calvarium using allogeneic and alloplastic bone substitutes. Objectives. First to determine if demineralized bone matrix (DBM) delivered in a poloxamer gel containing 47% DBM by volume (DBM gel) will result in similar amounts of bone regeneration as those seen with DBM putty (64% DBM by volume) used in our previous study, second to determine if the addition of CaOH to the DBM gel will increase the bone regenerative capacity of the DBM gel and finally to assess if the new calcium phosphate cements (Norian CRS® and Bone Source ®) would promote similar amounts of bone regeneration as those seen with DBM gel.; In Conclusion DBM in a poloxamer carrier demonstrated reliable osseous healing of critical size defects in the rabbit calvarium. DBM gel demonstrated considerably less bone than that seen with DBM putty. The addition of CaOH to DBM gel did not significantly improve the bone regenerative capacity of the DBM gel. The CPC proved to be technique sensitive resulting in an inflammatory reaction in animals where the cement had fragmented due to incomplete setting. Both Norian CRS and Bone Source did not promote bone regeneration in this animal model.