Long-term changes in graft height after sinus floor augmentation with mesenchymal stem cells in a randomised clinical trial: radiographic evaluation with a minimum followup of 2.5 years

To compare the changes in graft height in patients after sinus floor augmentation (SFA) with and without mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and to evaluate the survival rate of implants placed after SFA. Material and methods: Twenty patients were randomised into two groups. The test group patients had a bone biopsy taken from the tuberosity region from which bone cells were cultured. All patients had a SFA with a composite bone graft (BioOss®/autogenous bone). The patients in the test group had the cultured cells added. Two implants were placed in the augmented area four months later and the augmentation height at the distal side of the implants was evaluated from panoramic radiographs at the time of implant placement (T1) and after a minimum of 2.5 years (T2). The implant survival was evaluated. Due to insufficient bone quality one implant could not be placed 4 months after SFA, two implants disintegrated after prosthetic treatment and two implants in one patient were unaccounted for since the patient failed to show up – all in the MSC group. A statistically significant reduction in augmentation height of 1.27 ± 0.23 mm and 1.88 ± 0.37 mm in the MSC and non-MSC group was found after a minimum of 2.5 years, respectively (p