Investigation of effects of bioactive glass, mineralized and demineralized bone matrix on healing of experimentally constituted bone defects

Autogenous, allogenous bone graft materials have been used from past to present in the repair of bone defects. Investigations on the repair of bone defects still continue today. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of bioactive glass, mineralized bone matrix (MBM) and demineralized bone matrix (DBM) on the healing of experimental bone defects in rabbits and to determine the best graft material as a result of comparison radiological and histopathological findings.Fourteen, 4-5-month old, male New Zealand rabbits were used in the study. The rabbits were randomly divided into 2 main groups for 30 and 60 day postoperative follow-ups and each group contained 7 randomly selected rabbits. Under general anesthesia, a total of four defects, two on the proximal metaphysis of both tibia of each rabbits were created. Fourteen of 56 bone defects created were left empty to serve as the control group. The remaining defects were filled with bioactive glass, MBM and DBM, respectively (n=14 in each group). Thus, all graft groups were formed in each rabbit.Clinical and radiological examinations were performed on the immediately after the operation, 15th, 30th, 45th and 60th days. On the postoperative 30th and 60th days, the rabbits were sacrificed. The bone sections containing the grafted regions were taken and histological examinations were performed.As a result of radiological and histological examinations, bone healing in the bioactive glass group was determined to be better than the other groups.As a result, bioactive glass was observed to considerably increase early term bone healing, which suggested that it can readily be used as a good graft material. It is considered that the results of the study will contribute to patient welfare by providing better healing in a short time and facilitating the selection of the graft material in clinical cases where the use of bone graft is necessary.