Effect of Nano Hydroxyapatite Graft Mixed with Melatonin on Preservation of Alveolar Sockets of Chronically Infected Teeth

Aim: The present study was designed to evaluate the possible synergistic effect or inhibitory effect of melatonin and nano-hydroxyapatite graft in alveolar socket preservation. Subjects and Methods: This study was designed as a randomized controlled clinical and radiographic study carried out on a total twenty patients of both sexes (8 females and 12 males ranged in age from (20-35 years). All patients were selected from those attending at the outpatient clinic of Oral Medicine and Periodontology Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Al-Azhar University, Assiut Branch. And planned for extraction of one or more hopeless tooth. The patients included in this study were divided in two groups: Group 1: 10 patients received nano hydroxyapatite mixed with melatonin as a grafting material for the extraction socket, and Group 2: 10 patients received nano hydroxyapatite as a grafting material for the extraction socket. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between Group (I) and Group (II) at baseline (P=0.212) while after 3 months there was a statistically significant difference between Group (I) and Group (II) (P=0.015) and after 6 months there was a statistically significant difference between both groups (P=0.002) in clinical buccolingual width of alveolar ridge. There was no statistically significant difference between Group (I) and Group (II) at baseline (P=0.239) while there was a statistically significant difference between Group (I) and Group (II) after 3 months (P=0.013) and after 6 months (P=0.002) in coronal width. There was no statistically significant difference between Group (I) and Group (II) at baseline (P=0.523), while there was a statistically significant comparisons between Group (I) and Group (II) after 3 months (P=0.049) and after 6 months (P=0.002) regarding bone density. Conclusions: Placement of Melatonin combined with Nanohydroxyapatite bone graft in extraction socket showed higher effect in alveolar socket preservation than Nanohydroxyapatite alone. Coronal portion of extraction socket was associated with high rate of bone resorption than remaining parts of the socket