Sinus floor augmentation with simultaneous placement of dental implants in the presence of platelet‐rich plasma or recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein‐7

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible benefit of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in sinus grafting as compared with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-7 (rhBMP-7). For this purpose, we performed a bilateral sinus augmentation with anorganic bovine bone and simultaneous insertion of a titanium screw implant in five miniature pigs. Six hundred microliters of PRP and 15%-vol. autologous bone, which was collected with a trap during preparation of the implant recipient site, were added to the right sinus and 420 microl rhBMP-7 to the left sinus. A polychrome sequential labeling was performed. The animals were sacrificed 6 weeks after surgery. Undecalcified ground sections were evaluated by microradiography, digitized histomorphometry and under fluorescent light. The mean bone-implant contact using rhBMP-7 was 45.8% and 5.7% under PRP (P=0.002). The mean height of newly mineralized bone in the augmented area using rhBMP-7 amounted to 8.3 mm as opposed to 3.6 mm under PRP (P=0.013). Using PRP, the mean area of the newly formed bone was enhanced (51.3%) as compared with rhBMP-7 (33.1%); however, this difference was not statistically significant (P=0.081). In conclusion, under the selected experimental conditions the use of rhBMP-7 led to superior outcomes with regard to the osseointegration of dental implants and the height of new bone as compared with the use of PRP.