A randomized clinical trial evaluating maxillary sinus augmentation with different particle sizes of demineralized bovine bone mineral: histological and immunohistochemical analysis

This study was performed to investigate sinus floor augmentation with two different particle sizes of demineralized bovine bone mineral (DBBM) by means of histological and immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis. A randomized clinical trial was conducted involving 10 individuals requiring two-stage bilateral maxillary sinus augmentation for implant installation. The patients were randomly divided into two groups following a split-mouth design: the maxillary sinus on one side was filled with small-sized particles (0.25–1 mm) and on the contralateral side with large-sized particles (1–2 mm). After a healing period of 8 months, 25 implants were placed. During implant site preparation, bone biopsies were obtained from each sinus, perpendicular to the long axis of the implant (buccal–palatal direction), for descriptive and histomorphometric analyses. IHC staining for protein expression of osteocalcin (OCN), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) was also performed. Histomorphometric analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in the percentage of biomaterial (32.4 ± 8.56% and 38.0 ± 6.92%), newly formed bone (36.1 ± 9.60% and 36.7 ± 5.79%), or connective tissue (30.4 ± 8.63% and 23.8 ± 6.16%) between the small- and large-sized particle groups, respectively. IHC analysis did not reveal differences in the expression of OCN, VEGF, or TRAP. These findings suggest that both particle sizes of DBBM are effective for bone augmentation in the maxillary sinus.