Fourteen consecutive patients with severely atrophic maxillae underwent uni- or bilateral grafting of the maxillary sinus with a mixture of collected bone, algae-derived hydroxyapatite AlgOss/C Graft/Algipore (ratio 1:10), and a combined addition of PRP and thrombin (Tissucol Kit; Baxter, Vienna, Austria) to allow for fast clotting. After an average healing period of 7.1 months bone samples were retrieved. Patients from a former consecutive series treated without PRP served as control group. Statistical analysis was done by Welch 2-sample t test and mixed linear model testing.
In the coronal specimen portions, mean values for newly formed bone area, biomaterial area and marrow space of 32.2 % ¡À 10.4 % , 20.1 % ¡À 13.0 % , and 47.7 % ¡À 8.5 % were found with PRP, respectively. In the control group the corresponding values were 27.6 % ¡À 13.4 % , 20.3 % ¡À 12.9 % , and 52.1 % ¡À 9.3 % . In the apical specimen portions in the PRP group, the newly formed bone area, biomaterial area, and marrow space was 25.7 % ¡À 15.0 % , 23.4 % ¡À 14.9 % , and 50.9 % ¡À 12.5 % , respectively. The corresponding values in the control group were 17.0 % ¡À 8.6 % , 34.5 % ¡À 11.2 % , and 48.5 % ¡À 8.5 % .
Statistical evaluation of the samples proved significantly better overall resorption of algae-derived hydroxyapatite AlgOss/C Graft/Algipore and increased new bone formation when PRP was used, especially in the apical region.