Investigation of the new bone formation potential of different size bone allografts in an experimental animal model

In cases where there is significant loss of bone hard tissue, the healing of the bone may be interrupted. Bone grafts are frequently used in oral and maxillofacial surgery to support bone healing. The diversity of bone grafts in terms of type, size and structure reveals different levels of effectiveness. A total of 49 Wistar rats were used in our study. There were 5 animals in the group that did not undergo surgery. There were 11 animals in each of the other 4 groups with tibial defect. Defect-formed groups were filled with large-particle graft (3-5 mm), small-particle graft (0,5-1 mm) and block graft. Bone graft was not placed in one group. New bone formation was examined histopathologically in sections taken from the tissue removed at the end of 8 weeks. At the end of the study, according to the scoring, ossification in the small particle graft group was significantly lower than in the control group. The number of osteocytes of the control group was significantly higher than the osteocytes of the other groups. Scoring and osteocyte cell counts correlated when we ranked the groups. The number of osteoblast cells of the large particle graft group was significantly higher than the osteoblast cell number of the other groups. Again, the osteoblast count of the control group was significantly higher than the osteoblast count of the small particle graft, block graft and defect group. More studies are needed to evaluate the effect of particle size on new bone formation.