ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to assess the usefulness of a bovine bone substitute material in treating cystic lesions in the jaw with a maximum diameter of <4 cm. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this prospective, randomized, single-blind intervention study of 116 patients, 61 underwent cystectomy with a subsequent filling of the defect using a bovine xenograft, and 55 underwent cystectomy alone. Volumetric measurement of the cysts was performed preoperatively and 6 and 12 months postoperatively using the available digital volume tomography data sets. Follow-up appointments were made 14 days and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Almost complete regeneration was seen in both treatment groups within 12 months, with no significant difference in absolute volume loss between the 2 groups (P = .521). Examination 14 days after surgery revealed a tendency for more wound healing disorders with the use of a bone substitute (P = .077). It was no longer possible to detect any further differences in later examinations. CONCLUSION: Using bovine bone substitute material has no radiologically measurable advantage over cystectomy alone without defect filling regarding bone regeneration. In addition, there was a tendency for more wound-healing disorders to occur in the bone substitute group.
