Cortical Versus Cancellous Solvent-Dehydrated Bone Allograft for Alveolar Ridge Preservation: A Histologic Study

Allografts have been routinely used for immediate grafting of extraction sites as modalities of alveolar ridge preservation (ARP). Solvent-dehydrated bone allograft (SDBA), which is commonly utilized for socket grafting, exists in the form of cortical and cancellous particles. This study aims to provide a histologic comparison of cortical and cancellous SDBA for ARP. A total of 35 extraction sockets were allocated to receive either a cortical (17 sites) or cancellous (18 sites) SDBA, followed by application of a resorbable collagen wound dressing in both groups. At approximately 4 months, a bone core biopsy sample was obtained during implant placement. Histomorphometric assessment was then conducted to compare the differences between both forms of SDBA. Within its limitations, a higher percentage of vital bone was observed in the cortical bone group compared to the cancellous bone group (28.6% vs 20.1%, respectively, P = .042), while there was a lack of statistically significant differences among other fractions of the bone biopsy sample (residual graft particles and nonmineralized tissues such as connective tissue or other components).