By histological analyses, bioglass was evaluated as a bone substitute in the regeneration of alveolar bone defects in mandibles of 28 dogs, which were distributed in two groups. Defects were made in the vestibular surface of the mandible between the roots of the right fourth premolar tooth. In treated group, defects were filled with bioglass, while it did not receive any treatment in the other, being used as control. For histological analyses, samples including the bone defect area of two animals per group were collected after 8, 14, 21, 42, 60, 90, and 120 days after surgery. In the control group, bone repair began on the day 14th, developing until the day 120th, when no limit between the margins of the defect and the new bone existed. In the treated group, at the day eightieth, loose connective tissue highly vascularized around the bioglass particles was observed and on the day 60th, bioglass had been totally reabsorbed and the defect was completely filled by trabecular bone. It can be concluded that the bioglass is biocompatible and osteoconductive, and shortens the time needed for alveolar bone repair.
dog; bioglass; bone substitute; alveolar process
