The composition of the basal bone: the scientific secret of resolutive implantology
The basal bone is the stable structural base of the maxilla and mandible: it is not affected by tooth loss and is composed of 60-70% inorganic mineral fraction, 20-30% organic fraction and 10% water.
Unlike the alveolar bone, which surrounds the teeth and resorbs if they are lost, the basal bone remains intact for life and is mainly formed by compact (cortical) bone tissue of very high density. This is where the real secret of our implantology lies: alveolar implantology bets on a bone that gives no guarantees; we anchor on a bone that never changes.
1. The inorganic component (60% - 70%)
It guarantees the hardness and compressive strength of the jaw.
| Component | Role |
|---|---|
| Hydroxyapatite | Calcium phosphate crystals that mineralise the matrix |
| Calcium carbonate | Present in smaller percentages |
| Mineral salts | Traces of magnesium, sodium, potassium, fluorine and strontium |
2. The organic component (20% - 30%)
It provides elasticity, flexibility and resistance to torsional and tensile masticatory forces.
| Component | Role |
|---|---|
| Type I collagen | Over 90% of total proteins |
| Non-collagenous proteins | Osteocalcin, osteonectin and osteopontin: regulate mineralisation |
| Proteoglycans | Molecules that retain the hydration of the matrix |
3. The cellular component
| Cell | Function |
|---|---|
| Osteocytes | Mature cells trapped in the matrix, responsible for tissue maintenance |
| Osteoblasts | Production and deposition of new bone |
| Osteoclasts | Bone resorption and remodelling |
4. Why this is the real difference
The alveolar bone is spongy, vascularised, with fast turnover and resorbs: those who work on it must augment it, lift it or look for anchorage outside the mouth. The basal bone, instead, has a very high mineral density and an extremely slow turnover: it is the D1 "cranial rock" that does not resorb. This is why our protocol-based techniques are resolutive and give guarantees that alveolar implantology cannot give.
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