title: Sinus lift tissue engineering using autologous pulp micro-grafts: A case report of bone density evaluation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although autografts are the standard procedure for bone grafting, the use of bone regeneration by means of dental pulp stem cell is an alternative that opens a new era in this field. Rigenera Protocol is a new technique able to provide the surgeon autologous pulp micro-grafts.
  
  
  METHODS
  At the Department of Oral Surgery, Don Orione Hospital, Bergamo, Italy, one patient underwent sinus lift elevation with pulp stem micro-grafts gentle poured onto collagen sponge. A CT scan control was performed after 4 months and DICOM data were processed with medical imaging software which gives the possibility to use a virtual probe to extract the bone density. Pearson's Chi-square test was used to investigate difference in bone density (BD) between native and newly formed bone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BD in newly formed bone is about the double of native bone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This report demonstrated that micro-grafts derived from dental pulp poured onto collagen sponge are a useful method for bone regeneration in atrophic maxilla.
authors.affiliation: Dental Clinic, Don Orione Hospital, Bergamo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brunelli
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Motroni
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Graziano
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Aquino
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zollino
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carinci
keywords: Bone; homograft; jaw; reconstruction; resorption; stem cell