Healing of bone defects by an osteopromotion technique using solvent-dehydrated cortical bone plate: a clinical and radiological study.

Osseous defects of the jaws following trauma, cysts, infection or congenital deformity may show poor osteogenesis and the affected area may never be completely filled with bone. It is widely accepted in guided tissue regeneration that physically halting soft connective tissue proliferation into bone allows bone regeneration. This concept is called the "osteopromotion principle." The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of solvent-dehydrated cortical bone plates as a barrier to allow bone regeneration by assessing the osteopromotion principle. 30 patients (18 male, 12 female) with cystic lesions of the jaws were assigned to two different groups. The patients in Group A were treated by enucleation. In Group B, were treated by removal of the lesion and placing a solvent-dehydrated cortical bone plate on top of the cyst cavity to avoid ingrowth of connective tissue. Both groups were evaluated radiographically using spiral-computed tomography (CT) before surgery and 12 months postoperatively. In group B, all cystic cavities showed complete bone healing in 12 months. At the same period, invasion of the soft connective tissue were observed in the patients treated only by enuclation. This study demonstrates that solvent-dehydrated cortical bone plates can be used as a barrier in treatment of cyst cavities and they hinder ingrowth of connective tissues and promote successful bone healing.