OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of collagen/hydroxyapatite(CHA) instead of autogenous bone transplantation on repairing the mandibular defects. METHODS: Ten Chinese experimental minipigs were made 2 cm bone defects in diameter in the mandible. The experimental group was implanted CHA, while the control group was implanted autogenous bone. The basic parameters of bone dynamics were determined by bone metrology. RESULTS: There was remarkable difference between the two groups in the mean distance and mineralization apposition rate of double label bands marked by tetracycline(P lt; 0.05), while the mean osteoid seam width and mineralization lag time had no remarkable difference(P gt; 0.05). It suggested that CHA had good osteogenesis. The collagen in CHA offered the condition of bone mineralization, and the mineralization peak of experimental group was present at 4 weeks earlier than that of control group (8 weeks). CONCLUSION: CHA may be a substitute of autogenous bone transplantation in repairing the mandibular defects, and the second operation for offering the implanting bone is avoidable, therefore, CHA may be an ideal material to repair bone defects.
