Ridge preservation of extraction sockets with buccal bone deficiency using poly lactide‐co‐glycolide coated β‐tricalcium phosphate bone grafts: An experimental study in dogs

Background The alveolar ridge undergoes pronounced reduction in height and width following tooth extraction. This study aims to comparatively evaluate the potential for ridge preservation in extraction sockets with buccal bone deficiency of β‐tricalcium phosphate coated with poly lactide‐co‐glycolide (β‐TCP/PLGA) and conventional particulate β‐TCP. Methods In six beagles, maxillary first premolars were extracted after removal of their buccal bone plates. Standardized bone defects (4 [mesiodistal width] × 4 [buccopalatal width] × 5 [depth] mm) were created at the sites of extraction sockets and filled with β‐TCP/PLGA (test sites) or particulate β‐TCP (control sites). Microcomputed tomography, histologic, and histometric evaluations were performed 12 weeks post‐surgery. Results The test sites exhibited a significantly greater bone volume than the control sites (25.7 ± 2.14 versus 16.0 ± 3.3 mm3), although no statistically significant difference was detected in bone material density (746.3 ± 23.9 versus 714.5 ± 37.0 g/cm3, respectively). Relative to the control sites, the test sites exhibited significantly greater alveolar‐ridge coronal (2.0 ± 0.4 versus 1.1 ± 0.3 mm) and middle (2.9 ± 0.2 versus 2.1 ± 0.3 mm) horizontal widths and proportions of woven bone (50.3 ± 8.1% versus 38.0 ± 5.2%) and bone marrow (17.7 ± 6.6% versus 9.7 ± 4.1%) but a significantly lower proportion of connective tissue (10.7 ± 4.5% versus 18.3 ± 5.7%). Conclusion Within the limitations of this study, the moldable β‐TCP/PLGA graft appears to exhibit a greater potential than the conventional particulate β‐TCP graft for ridge preservation of extraction sockets with buccal bone deficiency.