Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Fibrin in Secondary Cleft Alveolar Bone Grafting

Does the adjunctive use of autologous platelet concentrate during secondary alveolar bone grafting reduce the risk of wound dehiscence? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Wound dehiscence is a common complication after secondary alveolar bone grafting (SABG), leading to unfavourable surgical outcomes. Studies have shown that autologous platelet concentrates (APC) may enhance wound healing and improve outcomes. Therefore, this review aimed to evaluate in patients with alveolar clefts, whether using APC and iliac crest bone graft can mitigate the likelihood of wound dehiscence formation compared with those who underwent iliac bone grafting only following SABG. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using various electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, Ovid MEDLINE, LILACS, Cochrane Library, and grey literature, to include studies until July 31, 2023, without any restriction to language and time of publication. Only randomized (RCT) and controlled (CCT) clinical trials were included. Two independent reviewers screened the studies based on the predefined criteria, after which a qualitative and quantitative analysis was conducted. The search yielded 821 studies, of which seven were deemed eligible for systematic review. The risk of bias assessment done using "The Cochrane collaboration tool for risk of bias assessment" for six RCTs and the "Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies - of Interventions" for one CCT revealed a moderate to high risk of bias. The meta-analysis of five studies showed that the overall risk of developing wound dehiscence was lower in the APC group (RR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.71; p = 0.005; χ2 = 0.82; I2 = 0%). Subgroup analyses based on study design further supported these findings. Although the adjuvant use of APC for alveolar cleft reconstruction reduces the risk of wound dehiscence, more studies with increased scientific rigour and fewer confounding variables are warranted.

The Use of Platelet Concentrates in the Reconstruction of the Alveolar Cleft Defect: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate quantitative and qualitative outputs when comparing the incidence of platelet concentrates (PCs) combined with autogenous bone grafts to an autograft control group for the reconstruction of alveolar cleft defects.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS

Randomized and nonrandomized controlled clinical trials where PCs were used in the reconstruction of alveolar cleft defects.

INTERVENTIONS

Use of PCs in combination with autogenous bone graft in the experimental group and autogenous bone graft alone in the control group.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Average bone formation and bone density were evaluated, mean differences were calculated and pooled by a meta-analysis technique. Additionally, clinical outcomes such as wound dehiscence, closure of the oronasal fistula, pain, swelling, discharges, infections, and bleeding were considered in the qualitative synthesis.

RESULTS

After an evaluation of forty-nine articles, nineteen were considered for the review. The qualitative assessment of bone density, bone formation, and clinical outcomes showed no differences between groups in most of the included studies. The meta-analysis showed no statistical differences between PCs groups when compared to the control group in bone density at three months (mean difference 45.67 HU, P = .23) and six months (mean difference 48.57 HU, P = .64). Neither were statistical differences in the percentage of regenerated bone volume at six months (mean difference 6.39%, P = .15) and the volume of newly formed bone at 12 months (mean difference 0.37 mm3, P = .99).

CONCLUSIONS

There were no significant differences in terms of bone formation, bone density, and clinical outputs between groups.

Effect of adjuvant autologous platelet concentrates on secondary repair of alveolar clefts: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To review the existing evidence on the adjuvant use of autologous platelet concentrates (APCs) with iliac crest bone graft (ICBG) in the reconstruction of the secondary alveolar cleft.

METHODS

Electronic databases were searched systematically until November 2022. Clinical trials comparing the three-dimensional radiological outcomes of patients who underwent secondary alveolar bone grafting (SABG) with ICBG and APCs to those with ICBG alone and the radiological outcomes assessed 6 months after surgery were included. Two authors performed the study selection and the assessment of the risk of bias. Meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects model to determine the risk ratio (RR) for developing wound dehiscence and the mean difference (MD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) for the percentage of newly formed bone.

RESULTS

Nine studies (seven RCT and two CCT) were included with a low to high risk of bias. At the 6-month follow-up, the study group revealed insignificant results regarding the percentage of newly formed bone (MD = 6.49; 95% CI: -0.97, 13.94; p = .09; χ2  = 0.01; I2  = 71%). In addition, the overall risk of developing wound dehiscence was lower in the study group (RR = 0.34; 95% CI: 0.15, 0.78; p = .01; χ2  = 0.67; I2  = 0%).

CONCLUSION

Currently, there is insufficient evidence to support the adjuvant use of APCs with ICBG on enhanced bone regeneration following secondary alveolar bone grafting. However, combining ICBG and APCs might be beneficial in reducing the risk of developing wound dehiscence.

Bioactive Scaffolds as a Promising Alternative for Enhancing Critical-Size Bone Defect Regeneration in the Craniomaxillofacial Region

Reconstruction of critical-size bone defects (CSDs) in the craniomaxillofacial (CMF) region remains challenging. Scaffold-based bone-engineered constructs have been proposed as an alternative to the classical treatments made with autografts and allografts. Scaffolds, a key component of engineered constructs, have been traditionally viewed as biologically passive temporary replacements of deficient bone lacking intrinsic cues to promote osteogenesis. Nowadays, scaffolds are functionalized, giving rise to bioactive scaffolds promoting bone regeneration more effectively than conventional counterparts. This review focuses on the three approaches most used to bioactivate scaffolds: (1) conferring microarchitectural designs or surface nanotopography; (2) loading bioactive molecules; and (3) seeding stem cells on scaffolds, providing relevant examples of in vivo (preclinical and clinical) studies where these methods are employed to enhance CSDs healing in the CMF region. From these, adding bioactive molecules (specifically bone morphogenetic proteins or BMPs) to scaffolds has been the most explored to bioactivate scaffolds. Nevertheless, the downsides of grafting BMP-loaded scaffolds in patients have limited its successful translation into clinics. Despite these drawbacks, scaffolds containing safer, cheaper, and more effective bioactive molecules, combined with stem cells and topographical cues, remain a promising alternative for clinical use to treat CSDs in the CMF complex replacing autografts and allografts.

Observing the Eruption of Canine After Secondary Alveolar Bone Grafting

PURPOSE

Alveolar bone grafting is undertaken to provide stability to the dental arch and facilitate the eruption of permanent canine as teeth in the line of cleft usually have an altered pattern of eruption. The purpose of this study was to assess the eruption status and the change in the position and pattern of canine eruption after secondary alveolar bone grafting.

METHODS

An ambispective cohort study was conducted in patients operated for alveolar bone grafting with unilateral/bilateral alveolar cleft between the age of 9 to 13 years using autogenous iliac crest bone graft. The predictor variables of interest include the preoperative eruption status of canine (completely erupted/partially erupted/unerupted), stage of root development (one-third/two-third/more than two-third/complete) and position (vertical/lateral/buccopalatal) of the canine. The primary outcome variable is the eruption status of the canine (completely erupted/partially erupted/unerupted) at 6 months postoperatively. Secondary outcome variables include the stage of root development, change in the vertical, lateral and buccopalatal position of the canine observed in the first 6 months postoperatively with follow-up at 1 and 3 months. Another secondary outcome variable was the status of bone graft at 6 months postoperatively. Statistical analysis was done using Spearman's rank correlation and ANOVA chi-square test.

RESULT

The study sample consisted of 30 non-syndromic alveolar cleft patients with a mean age of 11.9 years, out of which partial and complete eruption of canine was seen in 43.33 and 36.67%, respectively. The canine was unerupted in 20% of the cases (P = .001). There was evidence of continued root development through the grafted bone. No significant change in the angulation of canine was observed in the postoperative period.

CONCLUSION

Significant change in the eruption status and root development of canine with no statistically significant change in the vertical and lateral angulation during eruption was observed. Identifying these risk factors by continuous postoperative monitoring will help in identifying the malposition at an early stage.

Platelet-Rich Fibrin in Bone Regenerative Strategies in Orthodontics: A Systematic Review

Preservation of the alveolar bone is a determinant in the outcome of orthodontic treatment. Alveolar bone defects or a decrease of their height and width may occur due to common reasons such as inflammation, tooth extraction, or cleft lip and palate. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate and appraise the quality of the most up to date available evidence regarding the applications and effects of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) in orthodontics. This study was carried out according to preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines using the following databases: Medline via PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science Core Collection and EMBASE. The qualitative assessment of the included studies was performed using Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and ROBINS-I guidelines. Results: From a total of 489 studies, nine studies were selected. The majority of the included studies demonstrate that autogenous anterior iliac graft with PRF had a higher amount of newly formed bone. Furthermore, this review also suggests that the application of platelet derivatives in the extraction socket can accelerate orthodontic tooth movement. Despite the limitations in the included studies, this systematic review suggested that PRF can improve alveolar cleft reconstruction and orthodontic tooth movement.