Abstract

The regeneration of bone critical size defects requires the use of bone biomaterials. Therefore, an osteogenic agent such as bone morphogenetic protein (rhBMP-2) has been used. The objective was to describe the bone formation of bone critical size defects in the rat calvaria using rhBMP-2 with different biomaterials. Two critical bone defects of 5 mm were made in 15 calvaria of adult male rats divided into a control group (without treatment) (C); autograft + rhBMP-2 (A); tricalcium phosphate + rhBMP-2 (B-TCP); bovine xenograft + rhBMP-2 (B) and hydroxyhapatite + rhBMP-2 (HA). At eight weeks post treatment, euthanasia and subsequent histological analysis of the defects were performed. Group C did not show bone tissue formation in the defect. In the rest of the groups, abundant bone tissue formed in the margins, therefore, the defect was smaller. The HA group presented trabecular bone formation with large medullary spaces and abundant adipose tissue. The B-TCP group also presented trabecular bone formation and most of the samples formed a bone bridge across the defect. Group B presented grafted material particles surrounded by bone trabeculae and connective tissue. In groupA, all samples presented a bone bridge formed by autograft blocks surrounded by connective and bone tissue. It is possible to conclude that 5 mm bone defects in rat calvaria are critical size defects that require the use of biomaterials for defect repair. The B-TCP group presented histological characteristics similar to the bone regeneration achieved with Group A.