Guided bone regeneration in the treatment of a compound odontoma in a dog

This case report describes the successful surgical treatment of a canine co mpound odontoma using guided bone regeneration. A five-month-old male Labra dor cross dog was diagnosed with a compound mandibular odontoma. After surg ical removal of the denticles and curettage of the lining of the bony cavit y, a combination of autogenous cortico-cancellous bone graft and a bovine-d erived, purified bone mineral matrix was packed into the defect. A resorbab le collagen membrane was then secured over the graft and the gingival tissu es sutured. Radiographs taken four months later revealed advanced graft inc orporation and bony healing of the mandibular defect. A second surgery was necessary to remove redundant gingival tissue dorsal to the lesion. Eight m onths after the first operation, radiographs revealed complete bony union a nd remodeling of the mandibular ramus. It is concluded that grafting of com pound mandibular odontomas can be a viable surgical alternative to other mo re aggressive procedures such as a partial mandibulectomy in the dog.