UCLA

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of BP on the success of bone grafts placed in palatal defects in rats. Bone was harvested and packed into palatal defects in recipient animals which were divided into four groups (n=8): (1) Saline, (2) BP at the time of surgery (T0), (3) BP one-week post-surgery (T1) and (4) BP three-weeks post-surgery (T2). All animals were euthanized at six weeks. Bone volume in the T1 BP (36.3 ± 8.8%) and T2 BP groups (36.9 ± 12.4%) was significantly greater than controls (24.8 ± 7.9%) and T0 BP group (22.1 ± 5.9%) (p <0.05). H&E images confirmed increased bone in delayed BP groups. There was no difference in number of TRAP+ cells but BP groups showed abnormal morphology of 3.75% of TRAP+ cells. A single and delayed BP systemic injection can be considered a therapeutic drug to enhance cleft bone grafting.