Effect of Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 in Dehiscence Defects with Non-Submerged Immediate Implants: An Experimental Study in Cynomolgus Monkeys

Background: Alveolar ridge aberrations commonly compromise optimal dental implant installation. To offset any variance between an aberrant alveolar ridge and prosthetic designs, bone augmentation procedures become necessary. The objective of this study was to evaluate bone formation and osseointegration at alveolar dehiscence defects following augmentation of the defect site with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) in an absorbable collagen sponge carrier (ACS) at dental implant installation including transmucosal positioning of the dental implant. Methods: Four adult male Cynomolgus monkeys received dental implants in contralateral extraction socket sites with surgically created 6 × 4 mm buccal dehiscence defects following elevation of mucoperiosteal flaps. Contralateral sites received rhBMP-2/ACS (rhBMP-2 at 1.5 mg/ml; 0.1 mg/defect) or served as shamsurgery controls. The flaps were adapted and sutured around the healing abutments leaving the implants in a transmucosal position. The...