Browsing by Author "Henriques, Rita Mónica Jorge"
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- Bone Regeneration: the use of biomaterialsPublication . Henriques, Rita Mónica Jorge; Figueira, Ana Catarina Pais dos SantosThe use of bone grafts is recommended in numerous surgeries. The autograft is considered to be the technique of choice in bone fusions, for small gaps and in critical defects given the properties of osteoconduction, osteogenisis and osteoinduction. Regardless of its unique characteristics, there are an increasing substitution with synthetic bone due to the high morbidity of the harvest and limitations of the volume of autografts. Also the well known disadvantages of allografts, such as potential risk for transmission of infectious diseases and the induction of adverse immune reactions, have driven the development of synthetic bone grafts for bone regeneration both in human and in veterinary medicine. For those reasons in recent decades there has been an enlargemment of the need to use bone grafts. Bonelike® is a synthetic bone graft substitute, which consisted in the incorporation of P2O5-CaO glass-based system within the hydroxyapatite matrix of spherical pellets with 250-500 μm of diameter for bone grafting with osteoinductive and osteoconductive proprieties, which overcomes some of the main disadvantages of traditional hydroxyapatite. This biomaterial is a composite composed of a modified hydroxyapatite matrix with α- and β-tricalcium phosphate secondary phases, resulting in higher solubility than single hydroxyapatite type of materials. These create better osteoinductive and osteoconductive properties that have been confirmed in experimental models of bone regeneration in sheep and recently its application in orthopedic and stomatological pathologies is being tested in small animal clinics. An ideal bone substitute should also be biocompatible, reabsorbable, with a similar mechanical resistance as the cortical bone, have osteoconductive, osteoinductive and osteogenic properties, should be easily handled and sterilized. The bone substitute should not cause any adverse systemic or local reaction, should provide a favorable environment to be invaded by blood vessels, cells and growth factors. However, no biomaterial developed and used in clinical applications can encompass all of these properties. The perceived drawbacks of some substitutes include poor resorbability, inclusion of processed animal components, inferior handling characteristics and most of the times, high associated cost. In this context we elaborate a revision of the literature concerning bone substitutes, particularly ceramics and their applicability in small animal clinical.