Medical advances including bone grafts and the alternative use of stem cells have improved the effectiveness of the natural process. Even though the process of bone reparation is efficient and effective, the conditions for healing bones aren’t always perfect. Many factors can lead to a bone not healing correctly such as infection, poor blood flow, and malnutrition. To overcome those factors, bone grafts have been implemented. A bone graft is material made of osseous tissue that is placed in a bone to facilitate and encourage regeneration when subpar conditions exist (Roberts and Rosenbaum 2012). Bone grafts are derived from a variety of sources, including the patient itself, human cadavers, and synthetic substitutes (Roberts and Rosenbaum 2012). With the creation and innovations of bone grafts, complex fractures can be healed and the medical possibilities expand, even into areas such as bone-related defects. One example which involved the use of bone grafts is a study on the treatment of mandibular continuity defects after tumor resection. In this case, bone grafts were implanted in 31 patients suffering from this defect and were found to be a reliable treatment option for future patients (Mertens et al.
Medical advances including bone grafts and the alternative use of stem cells have improved the effectiveness of the natural process. Even though the process of bone reparation is efficient and effective, the conditions for healing bones aren’t always perfect. Many factors can lead to a bone not healing correctly such as infection, poor blood flow, and malnutrition. To overcome those factors, bone grafts have been implemented. A bone graft is material made of osseous tissue that is placed in a bone to facilitate and encourage regeneration when subpar conditions exist (Roberts and Rosenbaum 2012). Bone grafts are derived from a variety of sources, including the patient itself, human cadavers, and synthetic substitutes (Roberts and Rosenbaum 2012). With the creation and innovations of bone grafts, complex fractures can be healed and the medical possibilities expand, even into areas such as bone-related defects. One example which involved the use of bone grafts is a study on the treatment of mandibular continuity defects after tumor resection. In this case, bone grafts were implanted in 31 patients suffering from this defect and were found to be a reliable treatment option for future patients (Mertens et al.