Dentists are increasingly turning to cattle bones for the bone grafts needed for dental implants. Experts claim that cows raised in Australia are the best option, as this country is free from BSE, The Guardian reports.
Bone grafting is a surgical procedure in which missing hard tissue of the jaw is replaced with donor or artificial bone, thereby creating a more reliable foundation for dental implants. Traditionally, human donor bones have been used for these purposes; however, there has been a growing use of synthetic materials and xenografts, which are animal organs intended for transplantation to humans.
According to Scott Davis, president of the Australian Dental Association, patients prefer to use material obtained from cattle rather than from other humans. Furthermore, it has been found that such transplants integrate well.
Experts believe that the bones of Australian cows are the most suitable for dental needs, as there have been no reported cases of BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) in this country. According to reports, animals intended for these purposes undergo regular veterinary examinations, and slaughter is carried out at certified facilities. The bone material is then sent to Switzerland, where it undergoes high-temperature processing, special cleaning, and sterilization. The resulting product can be used in dentistry to create a scaffold around which the patient's own bone tissue forms, necessary for the installation of a titanium implant.
