Abstract

Dental implant has proven to be a reliable long-term rehabilitation treatment showing considerable success rate and it is known that its stability depends on the bone quantity and quality present at the treated site. Different biomaterials, classified according to their origin, are used to obtain these bone features. The aim of this study was described the histological characteristics of alveolar bone that received demineralized bone matrix (DBM) in patients with atrophic mandibular ridge and adequate alveolar height; and briefly report the clinical features of the dental implants placement in these treated sites. Five mandibular sites were evaluated by clinical and histological analysis in two adult patients without systemic pathologies. Both patients received DBM 6 months before the placement of dental implants. The bone samples analyzed were obtained in the preparation phase for implant placement. A quantitative analysis of collagen type I and III density was also performed. The patients agreed to receive the proposed treatment, participate of this study and signed an informed consent. The dental implants showed no complications, no symptoms of pain or infection in clinical evaluations in the following weeks. Adequate bone height, none evidence of pathologies was observed radiographically. In the histological analysis were noted boundary lines suggesting binding of mature and newly formed bone tissue; the presence of mineralized tissue and increased osseous cell activity near DBM particles. The type I collagen fibers area was larger compared to the type III, it was noted tendencies of increase of type I and decrease of type III collagen near the DBM particles. The results suggest the DBM is a potential biomaterial when associated with dental implants in cases of atrophic mandible ridge.