algisorb

Formerly Algipore™ and C-Graft™

An attractive alternative to autogenous bone, allografts, and xenografts for preserving and grafting alveolar bone, algisorb™ (formerly known as C-Graft™ or Algipore™) is a completely natural bone-grafting material derived from the skeleton of marine algae, a renewable plant harvested off the coasts of South Africa and England. When dried and processed according to strict Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines and Good Manufacturing Procedures, the harvested algae is transformed into calcium phosphate, which can provide osteoconductive scaffolding for bone regeneration in grafting procedures.

According to Boyd Tomasetti, DMD, Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Colorado School of Dentistry, a board certified oral/maxillofacial surgeon, and past president of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and the Colorado Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the processing of the algae eliminates any type of contamination or proteins present in the plant form, making the finished product completely safe for human implantation. “The clinical applications of C-Graft™ relate to dental implant surgery specifically,” Tomasetti explains. “I have begun using C-Graft™ almost exclusively in my practice. It certainly has been shown to be superior to bovine-derived materials and, as an oral surgeon, I have found it to be an excellent alternative to autogenous bone.”