Impact of biomaterials on intra-sinus bone changes around dental implants following indirect sinus augmentation: A randomized clinical trial
Mallikarjuna Ragher, Sanath Kumar Shetty, Rajesh Shetty, M. Hasan Sarfaraz, M. Sunaina, Nafiya Abdul AzizAbstract
Aim:
This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effect of different biomaterials – without graft, venous blood, injectable platelet-rich fibrin (i-PRF), and synthetic graft on peri-implant intra-sinus bone changes around dental implants following indirect sinus lift using the Crestal Approach Sinus Kit (CAS Kit), assessed three-dimensionally using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) at baseline and after 6 months.
Settings and Design:
A randomized clinical trial was conducted at the Department of Prosthodontics, involving 64 patients aged 18-60 years with residual crestal bone height of 4–6 mm.
Materials and Methods:
Sixty-four participants were randomly allocated into four groups (
Statistical Analysis Used:
Descriptive statistics (mean±SD) were calculated, and intergroup comparisons were performed using one-way ANOVA. Statistical significance was set at
Results:
In coronal sections, Groups 1 and 2 (without graft, venous blood) showed minimal and comparable bone gain. Group 3 (i-PRF) demonstrated moderate improvement, while Group 4 (synthetic graft) achieved the highest bone values, particularly at the apex, buccal-apical, and palatal-apical sites. Analysis confirmed that Group 4 significantly outperformed all others, and i-PRF consistently exceeded without graft and venous blood. Sagittal analysis showed a similar pattern: Groups 1 and 2 displayed negligible change, Group 3 had intermediate gains, and Group 4 demonstrated substantial bone formation, especially at mesial and distal apical sites. No implants were lost during the 6-month follow-up.
Conclusions:
Synthetic grafts demonstrated the greatest intra-sinus bone gain at 6 months. This increased bone formation may enhance apical bone support and potentially improve implant stability in cases with limited residual bone height. I-PRF showed moderate bone gain, which, although statistically inferior to synthetic grafts, may still be clinically beneficial as a cost-effective and autologous adjunct. Thus, while synthetic grafts provided the highest statistical and clinical benefit, i-PRF may serve as a clinically viable alternative when synthetic grafting is not feasible.