Vivian Wu

Bone substitutes are used as alternatives for autologous bone grafts in maxillary sinus floor elevation (MSFE) for dental implant placement. The freshly isolated autologous stromal vascular fraction (SVF), highly enriched with adipose stem cells, adds osteogenic and angiogenic properties to bone substitutes. This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate vascularization and bone regeneration potential of calcium phosphate (CaP) ceramics either or not SVF-supplemented versus autologous bone grafts in MSFE. Patients undergoing MSFE were treated with retromolar bone (n=9), tuberosity bone (n=6), ß-tricalcium phosphate (ß-TCP; n=3), biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP; n=12), ß-TCP plus SVF (n=5) or BCP plus SVF (n=5). Biopsies were taken 4–6 months postoperatively, and bone formation and blood vessel number assessed. Blood vessel number, bone and osteoid volume were lower in CaP than autologous bone biopsies in the cranial area. Blood vessel number and osteoid volume were similar in SVF-supplemented CaP and retromolar, but lower than in tuberosity bone biopsies. Bone volume was similar in SVF-supplemented CaP as in tuberosity, but lower than in retromolar bone biopsies. In conclusion, SVF-supplemented CaP ceramics seemed to have similar vascularization and bone regeneration potential as retromolar, but not tuberosity bone grafts in patients undergoing MSFE. SVF-supplementation resulted in a potential vasculogenic, angiogenic, and osteogenic effect. Therefore, SVF-supplemented CaP ceramics might be promising to replace autologous bone for enhanced bone regeneration. Future studies with more patients and higher SVF-dosages are welcomed to further improve efficacy of SVF-supplementation in MSFE.

Vivian Wu (1992) holds a MSc honours degree in Dentistry from the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, The Netherlands (ACTA, 2016), and a MSc degree in Oral Implantology (ACTA, 2019). At the age of 26, she was the youngest implantologist ever in The Netherlands. Currently, Vivian works both part-time as a dentist/implantologist in a private clinic specializing in complex dental treatments, and as part-time PhD-candidate at ACTA (defence date: October 2023). Vivian conducts translational research within a network of (inter)national interdisciplinary collaborators on the application of adipose stem cells for jaw bone augmentation to allow dental implant placement. Vivian’s proven track record makes her a promising rising talent in science. She co-authored the 2018 ITI consensus statements, and published in leading scientific journals. Moreover, Vivian was chosen by Elsevier Weekblad as one of the ‘30-under-30’ brightest and talented young people of 2021 who will dictate the country’s future.