Bone Substitutes used in Dentistry

Abstract

Repair of bone defects resulting from trauma, tumor resections and infections is a medical and dental problem that needs a practical and low cost solution. To facilitate the repair several grafts or bone substitutes may be applied inside the defects. Biomaterials allow treatment, increase or replacement of any tissue, organ or function of the body. The aim of this study was to approach the advantages, disadvantages and main applications of bone substitutes used in reconstruction searched in dental practice. The manuscripts used in this literature review were searched in Medline (PubMed) and Scopus databases and based on manuscripts published from 1991 to 2012. After reading the titles and abstracts of the manuscripts, studies were selected because of their correlations with the aim of the current study. Bone tissue engineering has emerged as a new area of regenerative medicine and biomaterials and has an essential function concerning osteoconductive scaffold, osteogenic growth factors, and osteogenic cells. Based on literature available, a combination of advantageous properties of natural resorbable polymers and bioactive material in nanoscale appears to be more relevant for use in bone defects.