HISTOLOGIC AND MICRORADIOLOGIC COMPARISON OF BLOCK AND PARTICULATE CANCELLOUS BONE AND MARROW GRAFTS IN RECONSTRUCTED MANDIBLES BEING CONSIDERED FOR DENTAL IMPLANT PLACEMENT

Purpose: Patterns of healing were investigated in mandibles reconstruc ted with three different techniques to assess their readiness for impl ant placement. Patients and Methods: The subjects were 10 patients who had undergone mandibular reconstruction with either nonvascularized i liac block bone grafts (group 1, 3 patients), particulate cancellous b one and marrow (PCBM) grafts (group 2; 3 patients) for mandibular disc ontinuity, or PCBM grafts for mandibular marginal defects (group 3; 4 patients), Six (groups 2 and 3) or 12 months (group 1) after mandibula r reconstruction, bone biopsy specimens were obtained for histologic e xamination with a trephine bur. As controls, bone specimens were obtai ned from ungrafted mandibles of patients undergoing dental implant pla cement. Undecalcified specimens were embedded in polyester resin and e xamined by routine light microscopy and microradiography. Results: The morphology of the specimens from group 1 was similar to that of group 2, but not to that of the control subjects. However, the morphology o f specimens from group 3 was generally similar to that of control subj ects. Conclusion: These results suggest that mandibular reconstruction with PCBM grafts allows the placement of dental implants sooner than reconstruction with block bone grafts.