Effectiveness of bone marrow derived stem cell application on onlay augmentation and comparison with autogenous grafting

Prosthetic rehabilitation of edentulous alveolar ridges with the dental implants has become a routine treatment option in dental practice. Bone augmentation procedures are often needed for placement of dental implants in atrophic ridges. Various augmentation techniques and materials have been described in the literature. Utilization of stem/stromal cells in conjunction with other materials showed promising results. The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of utilization of bone marrow derived stem cells (BMDSCs) for onlay augmentation of bone tissue. Twenty rabbits were used in the study. The cranium of each rabbit was augmented with three different materials but with the same technique using stainless steel hemispheres. The materials were 1) beta-tricalcium phosphate – collagen linked scaffold loaded with bone marrow derived stem cells 2) same scaffold alone 3) autogenous bone block. The purification of stem cells was performed using 'Ficoll' method. The presence and number of stem cells were confirmed using complete blood count device and immunohistochemical methods. All animals were sacrificed 12 weeks after the augmentation. The newly formed bone was evaluated using histomrophometric, histological, and radiographic analyses. The data were compared statistically. The results of the study demonstrated that scaffolds that were loaded with BMDSCs have the same bone regeneration capacity with the autogenous bone block, which is considered the gold standard for bone augmentation. BMDSCs successfully induce new bone formation through guided bone regeneration technique. The cages used in the study enable formation of new bone tissue in desired volume and shape.