2022 Volume 35 Issue 4 Pages 262-267
Implant treatment has become an essential option in the prosthetic treatment strategy and the number of indications based on scientific evidence has increased. Therefore, the development of a novel bone substitute superior to the conventional ones such as hydroxyapatite (HA) and beta tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) for bone augmentation has long been awaited. Bone substitutes for dental implant treatment must meet various requirements including biocompatibility, resorbability, osteoconductivity and osteoinductivity, and the ability to achieve long-term osseointegration. We have focused on octacalcium phosphate (OCP) as a precursor of biological apatite and have been researching its clinical application as a novel bone substitute. Though OCP has superior resorption and osteogenic potential compared to hydroxyapatite (HA) and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), OCP alone is difficult to handle because it is a granular material and sintered molding is impossible due to its chemical structure. Therefore, in 2006 we developed a composite with collagen (OCP/Col), and after a number of both basic and clinical studies, in 2019 the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare approved its production and marketing as “Bonarc®”. This article describes our basic research on OCP, translational research for clinical application, clinical trials and case reports, and the latest information on OCP/Col.
