Anorganic bovine bone and analogs of bone mineral as implants for craniofacial surgery: a literature review.

Hydroxyapatite compounds and a new anorganic bovine bone mineral are materials that offer an alternative to autologous bone grafting. Ceramic hydroxyapatite implants are limited in their usefulness due to difficulty in contouring the cortical form and the tendency for the granular form to exist outside the reconstruction site. These limitations have been overcome by the advent of a hydroxyapatite cement paste exhibiting good biocompatibility, contour manipulation, implant stability and osseoinduction. Preliminary studies indicate that a new resorbable anorganic bovine bone mineral with a chemical composition and structure similar to human bone promotes initial bony healing more readily than its synthetic hydroxyapatite counterpart, and therefore may serve as an excellent alternative for craniofacial reconstruction.