title: Soft tissue volume augmentation by the use of collagen-based matrices in the dog mandible -- a histological analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to test, whether or not soft tissue volume augmentation with a specifically designed collagen matrix (CM), leads to ridge width gain in chronic ridge defects similar to those obtained by an autogenous subepithelial connective tissue graft (SCTG).
  
  
  METHODS
  In six dogs, soft tissue volume augmentation was performed by randomly allocating three treatment modalities to chronic ridge defects [CM, SCTG and sham-operated control (Control)]. Dogs were sacrificed at 28 (n = 3) and 84 days (n = 3). Descriptive histology and histomorphometric measurements were performed on non-decalcified sections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SCTG and CM demonstrated favourable tissue integration, and subsequent re-modelling over 84 days. The overall mean amount of newly formed soft tissue (NMT) plus bone (NB) amounted to 3.8 ± 1.2 mm (Control), 6.4 ± 0.9 mm (CM) and 7.2 ± 1.2 mm (SCTG) at 28 days. At 84 days, the mean NMT plus NB reached 2.4 ± 0.9 mm (Control), 5.6 ± 1.5 mm (CM) and 6.0 ± 2.1 mm (SCTG). Statistically significant differences were observed between CM/SCTG and Control at both time-points (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within the limits of this animal model, the CM performed similar to the SCTG, based on histomorphometric outcomes combining NB and NMT.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics and Dental Material Science, Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. daniel.thoma@zzm.uzh.ch
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Thoma
authors.forename: Christoph H F
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hämmerle
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Cochran
authors.forename: Archie A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Görlach
authors.forename: Lorenz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Uebersax
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mathes
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Graf-Hausner
authors.forename: Ronald E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D000540:Alveolar Ridge Augmentation / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000637:transplantation*; D004285:Dogs; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000637:transplantation*; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen