Sticky bone, a growth factor-enriched bone graft matrix, is a promising autologous material for bone tissue regeneration. However, its production is strongly dependent on manual handling steps. In this sense, a new device was developed to simplify the confection of the sticky bone, named Sticky Bone Preparation Device (SBPD®). The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the suitability of the SBPD® to prepare biomaterials for bone regeneration with autologous platelet concentrates. The SBPD® allows the blending of particulate samples from synthetic, xenograft, or autogenous bone with autologous platelet concentrates, making it easy to use and avoiding the need of further manipulations for the combination of the materials. The protocol for the preparation of sticky bone samples using the SBPD® is described, and the resulting product is compared with hand-mixed SB preparations regarding in vitro parameters such as cell content and the ability to release growth factors and cytokines relevant to tissue regeneration. The entrapped cell content was estimated, and the ability to release biological mediators was assessed after 7 days of incubation in culture medium. Both preparations increased the leukocyte and platelet concentrations compared to whole-blood samples (p < 0.05), without significant differences between SB and SBPD®. SBPD® samples released several growth factors, including VEGF, FGFb, and PDGF, at concentrations physiologically equivalent to those released by SB preparations. Therefore, the use of SBPD® results in a similar product to the standard protocol, but with more straightforward and shorter preparation times and less manipulation. These preliminary results suggest this device as a suitable alternative for combining bone substitute materials with platelet concentrates for bone tissue regeneration.

The case of a 59-year-old woman lacking bone in the lower left side of her mandible, and treated with two different biomaterials for bone regeneration, is reported here. Specifically, two different anatomical sites damaged by two different pathologies were studied: a radicular fracture and peri-implantitis. The sites were treated via xenograft bone substitute and calcium phosphosilicate, respectively. Follow-up evaluations showed that the two different methodologies employing different materials in the same organism undergoing the same metabolic processes achieved the same good results. This represents a significant change in current surgical strategies for the dental region: instead of focusing on a single gold-standard technique, it is possible to follow a hybrid approach by adapting the biomaterial and the protocol used to the specificities of the defect.