A Comprehensive Overview of Synthetic Bone Substitutes

Abstract Bone replacement is a complex phenomenon and a challenging task to accomplish, as bone resorption is irreversible following the tooth loss. Bone grafting, the second most common transplanted tissue, is the only solution to reverse dental bone loss and is a well-accepted procedure. There are different graft options that are available, such as autografts, allografts and synthetic bone grafts. Because of the morbidity associated with harvesting of autogenous bone grafts, synthetic bone grafts were used as an alternative. However the lack of comprehensive literature specifically focusing on their role in prosthodontics necessitates that this review provides an in-depth discussion of synthetic bone graft substitutes, including their uses, properties, advantages, limitations, and recent advancements.