Use of hyaluronic acid for regeneration of maxillofacial bones

What is it about?

Hyaluronic acid (HA) has been widely used in medicine and is currently of particular interest to maxillofacial surgeons. Several applications have been introduced, including those in which HA is used as a scaffold for bone regeneration, either alone or in combination with other grafting materials, to enhance bone growth. This review aims to analyze the available literature on the use of HA for maxillofacial bone regenera- tive procedures including socket preservation, sinus augmentation, and ridge aug- mentation. Medline and PubMed databases were searched for relevant reports published between January 2000 and April 2021. Nine publications describing the use of HA to augment bone volume were identified. Although further studies are needed, these findings are encouraging as they suggest that HA could be used effectively used, in combination with graft materials, in maxillofacial bone regenerative procedures. HA facilitates manipulation of bone grafts, improves handling characteristics and promotes osteoblast activity that stimulates bone regeneration and repair.

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Photo by Bogdan condr on Unsplash

Photo by Bogdan condr on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The findings presented by the clinical studies featured in this review suggest that the inclusion of HA in combination with other biomaterials resulted in improved graft consistency and easier handling, thereby improving surgical manipulation properties. HA in combination with β-TCP, allografts or xenografts provides a mixture with a putty consistency, thus minimizing the dispersion of the graft from the surgical site. Furthermore, use of HA in bone augmentation may be advantageous as it may reduce the amount of grafting material required for a successful outcome. Microbiological analyzes support the use of HA as an effective carrier of biologics. HA has also been used to promote bone regeneration due to its capacity to influence osteoblast activity. However, while HA alone may accelerate bone repair, there is no evidence of any osteoconductive potential. The clinical applications of HA for use in promoting bone regeneration have been analyzed, although further studies will be needed to establish both scientific and clinical support for its efficacy in maxillo- facial bone reconstruction.