What’s an allograph?
So, at my appointment yesterday I scheduled my bone graft for next Thursday, 3/19.
I’ll be receiving an allograph. This means the bone my surgeon will be using to correct the defect (huge hole) in my jaw will be human bone coming from a donor, and not my own body. The donor may be a cadaver (deceased organ donor). The bone might also come from a living donor. Femur heads from living patients undergoing a hip replacement are sometimes a source of donor bone.
Whether from a living or deceased donor, the bone will be throughly sterilized and processed. During the processing, they remove all cells and DNA, leaving behind only the bone scaffolding within which the osteocytes (bone cells) used to live. The scaffolding is composed of collagen and minerals such as hydroxyapatite. There are different ways to go about processing the bone, some of which include repeated freezing and thawing, and the use of enzymes, solvents, and detergent.
Pretty fascinating! The scaffolding would look something like the attached image, if magnified.
Over time, my own bone cells will fill the scaffolding and build good, sturdy bone, suitable for receiving a dental implant.
Pretty cool, right?
