Autogenous Bone is Still the Gold Standard of Graft Materials in 2022

I read with interest the recent editorial entitled “Is Autogenous Bone Grafting Still the “Gold Standard” in Oral Bone Grafting?”.¹  As the authors pointed out, I wrote a similar editorial in 2010 and concluded that indeed autogenous bone was the gold standard of graft materials.²  However, the authors have challenged my conclusion. To support their opinion, they referenced two publications on sinus bone grafting evaluating histomorphometric results and implant survival.^3,4  They claimed these studies found that “bone substitutes either performed in a like manner or superior to autogenous bone alone”. However, the histomorphometric analysis showed autogenous bone resulted in the highest amount of new bone formation compared to bone substitutes, but bone substitutes seem to be a good alternative.³  The systematic review on sinus bone grafting concluded implant survival rates using bone substitutes were as effective as autogenous bone when used alone or in...