Why One Dentist Has Used OsteoGen for Over a Decade—And Hasn't Switched
For many dental professionals, choosing the right bone grafting material comes down to three critical factors: ease of use, predictable results, and versatility across multiple applications.
Dr. Charles Schlesinger has been using OsteoGen in his practice for nearly 13 years. What started as a solution to problems he was experiencing with traditional bovine bone and allograft particulates has become his primary grafting material across virtually all regenerative procedures.
The reason? OsteoGen solved the practical challenges of a busy general practice while delivering better clinical outcomes. In this post, we'll explore why he made the switch—and why, despite countless new products entering the market, he didn’t switch back.
The Problem with Traditional Grafting Materials
Before adopting OsteoGen, Dr. Schlesinger faced familiar frustrations with conventional bone grafts:
Unpredictable handling: Many particulate grafts are difficult to control during placement, breaking down into loose particles that complicate technique.
Extended remodeling times: Some materials take 9-12 months to resorb—if they resorb completely at all—delaying the next phase of treatment.
Membrane complications: Most particulate grafts require a separate barrier membrane, adding complexity, cost, and the risk of early exposure or the need for secondary membrane removal procedures.
Inconsistent bone quality: Variable outcomes made it difficult to predict what type of bone would be present at re-entry.
As a general practitioner managing multiple operatories and a wide range of procedures daily, he needed something more straightforward—a material that would perform predictably without adding unnecessary steps or complications.
Why OsteoGen Made Sense from Day One
1. Ease of Use That Fits a Busy Practice
"As a general practitioner, we're jumping from room to room. We're having to be every specialist all day long. And for my patients, I wanted something that was going to be very straightforward to use, predictable, and allow me to move to the second stage of treatment."
OsteoGen's handling characteristics solved this immediately. Unlike materials that become loose particulates during placement, OsteoGen maintains its form—whether in plug, strip, or block configuration. Clinicians can place it exactly where needed without wrestling with material migration or breakdown.
The Plug form is particularly efficient for routine socket preservation: place the material, suture, and follow standard post-op protocols. No mixing, no particulate packing, no membrane management in most cases.
2. Predictable Soft Tissue Management
One of OsteoGen's standout features is how it manages soft tissue healing. The combination of bioactive calcium phosphate crystals and Type I bovine collagen creates a physical barrier that prevents soft tissue downgrowth into the socket. Instead of fibroblasts migrating into the grafted area and interfering with bone formation, epithelialization occurs across the top of the socket—typically within 2-3 weeks. This built-in barrier effect eliminates the need for a separate membrane in many routine cases, which simplifies technique and reduces complications.
"I don't have to worry about a membrane either coming out unwanted or having to come back at four weeks to pull a PTFE membrane. Most of the time in my experience, patients come back at two and a half weeks and half that membrane is flopped out—and then you're dealing with potential complications."
For a busy general practice, that simplicity matters. Fewer steps mean fewer opportunities for complications and a smoother experience for both clinician and patient.
3. Radiographic Clarity for Better Decision-Making
OsteoGen provides clear visual confirmation of graft remodeling through a unique radiographic progression.
The material is radiolucent upon placement, then gradually becomes radiopaque as bioactive crystals are replaced by vital host bone. This transition provides an objective way to determine when the site is ready for implant placement.
"It's very easy to determine that because I can look at a radiograph and the product goes from radiolucent to radiopaque during that time. We'll bring a patient in at about three months and take a PA. If it looks like the density has changed, then we know we have bone there and we can move forward."
This is markedly different from sintered ceramic grafts that remain highly radiopaque indefinitely, making it difficult—or impossible—to distinguish graft material from actual bone formation.
Versatility: From Socket Preservation to Sinus Lifts
What began as a socket preservation solution quickly expanded as Dr. Schlesinger recognized the material's versatility.
In his practice, he used OsteoGen across multiple applications:
- Socket preservation
- Grafting around immediate implants
- Immediate implant placement gaps
- Vertical and lateral sinus elevation
- Onlay grafts
This versatility is possible because all OsteoGen forms share the same Bioactive Crystal Technology (BCT) formulation. Clinicians aren't learning different materials for different procedures—they're applying the same proven technology in configurations suited to specific clinical needs.
Why Newer Products Haven't Changed His Mind
Over 13 years, countless "new and improved" bone grafts have entered the market. Dr. Schlesinger has tried many of them. None have replaced OsteoGen.
"What I found out is that it wasn't better. Either it was a situation where it took too long to turn over, or the handling properties were not improved over OsteoGen. It posed problems for me."
Many newer products fall into one of two categories:
Look-alikes that don't perform the same: Products that physically resemble OsteoGen (plug or block forms) but use sintered ceramics or carbonated apatite mixed with collagen. "Even though it looks the same, it doesn't behave the same." Their instructions often suggest waiting 9-12 months before proceeding with implants—a timeline that suggests the remodeling process may be slower or less predictable than clinically ideal.
Particulates that complicate handling: Composite products sold as plugs or blocks that break down into loose particulates during placement, creating the same handling problems he was trying to avoid.
"There is not another product out there that has the same formulation that OsteoGen crystals have."
The Bioactive Crystal Technology Advantage
What makes OsteoGen different from materials that physically resemble it? The answer lies in Bioactive Crystal Technology, a proprietary formulation of non-sintered calcium phosphate crystals that:
- Release calcium, phosphate, and hydroxyl ions that support osteoblast recruitment and maturation
- Create an alkaline environment favorable for mineralization
- Are biomimetic to natural laminar bone in structure and composition
- Resorbs over 4-6 months and are replaced by vital host bone
This isn't just about delivering ions. It's about creating a regenerative environment that works with the body's natural healing cascade rather than forcing the body to work around inert ceramic particles.
"With Bioactive Crystal Technology, what it allows me to do is predictably graft, know that I'm going to change the localized environment to be conducive to the regeneration of bone, and not have the additional problems I've seen with other materials."
Three Questions to Ask When Evaluating Bone Grafts
Based on his experience comparing OsteoGen to alternatives over more than a decade, Dr. Schlesinger recommends clinicians ask three key questions when evaluating regenerative materials:
1. Is it bioactive or just osteoconductive?
"What is the bioactivity of the product? Is it acting as an osteoconductive framework, or is it actually contributing to the regeneration of bone?"
Osteoconductive materials provide structure but don't actively participate in healing. Bioactive materials influence the local environment to support regeneration.
2. What is the resorption timeline?
"What is the timeline expected for turnover? Over 4-6 months the majority of OsteoGen crystals are resorbed and a small percentage become incorporated into the newly formed bone structure to continue to be broken down and provide Ca+ for future remodeling."
If a material suggests waiting 9-12 months, there's a good chance much of it will end up encapsulated rather than remodeled. Ideal materials resorb predictably within a clinically useful timeframe (4-6 months) and are replaced by vital bone.
3. How does it handle?
"The handling characteristics are very important. I always encourage doctors to try products and see in their hands what makes sense to them."
Handling can make or break a material in daily practice. If placement is difficult, unpredictable, or requires excessive technique sensitivity, even a biologically sound material may not be practical.
The Bottom Line: Predictability, Simplicity, and Performance
After nearly 13 years and exposure to countless alternatives, Dr. Schlesinger's assessment is clear:
"I truly feel that these products handle so easily, so predictably, with minimal complication that there really is not another product to look at. I'll stake my reputation on that."
For practices seeking a bone grafting material that:
✓ Simplifies protocols without compromising outcomes
✓ Works across multiple clinical applications
✓ Provides predictable remodeling timelines
✓ Delivers consistent bone quality
✓ Eliminates membrane complications in routine cases
...OsteoGen continues to be a trusted choice.
The technology has a nearly 40-year track record. Millions of OsteoGen plugs alone have been placed over the past 13 years. And for clinicians who've used it long-term, the question isn't "Why use OsteoGen?", It's "Why would I use anything else?"
|
