A recent article in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics of North America announced, "…preclinical studies have shown that rhBMP-2 induces normal physiologic bone in clinically relevant defects in the craniofacial skeleton." According to Medtronic, producer of Infuse® Bone Graft Oral-Facial, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) have been a topic of study for a long time. These proteins eliminate the need for harvested bone, and rhBMP-2 is FDA approved for use in spinal, leg, and oral-facial surgeries.
rhBMP-2 is a manmade protein that has identical traits as natural BMP. The manufactured cells produce more rhBMP-2, which quickly generates bone tissue. Implanting the proteins into the collagen sponge used in bone surgeries allows rhBMP-2 to work its magic. Like the sponge, after the body has used the rhBMP-2 cells, they are reabsorbed.
What does this mean to dentistry? According to a study reviewed in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, rhBMP-2 enhances predictability for dental implant placement.