Osteogenic effect of tricalcium phosphate substituted by magnesium associated with Genderm® membrane in rat calvarial defect model

Beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) is one of the most widely employed bioresorbable materials for bone repair since it shows excellent biological compatibility, osteoconductivity and resorbability. The incorporation of divalent cations such as magnesium onto the beta-TCP structure (beta-TCMP) may improve the biological response to the material through the release of bioactive ions. The objective of this study was to evaluate, on a rat calvarial critical size grafting model, the bone regeneration process using beta-TCP and beta-TMCP granules by histomorphometric analysis. Results demonstrated that six months after bone grafting, the association of GBR (guided bone regeneration) using a membrane (GenDerm (R)) and granules of beta-TCP and beta-TCMP significantly improves bone repair in the treatment of critical-size defect in rat skulls, in comparison to untreated defects or GBR alone, leading to a bone level approximately four to five-fold greater than in the blood clot group. The beta-TCMP + GenDerm (R) membrane group presented 40.5% of the defect area filled by newly-formed bone, even at the central part of the defect, rather than only at the border, as seen in the other experimental groups. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.