Summary of relative benefits and disadvantages of each type of grafting option.
| Graft type | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Iliac crest | Large availability, low cost, growth factors, live cells | Donor-site morbidity, increased blood loss, increased operative time |
| Local bone | Low cost, growth factors, live cells | Limited availability |
| Bone marrow aspirate | Live cells, growth factors | Needs carrier |
| Fresh-frozen allograft | Large availability, low cost, growth factors | Disease transmission, inflammation, no live cells |
| Freeze-dried allograft | Large availability, low cost | Brittle, no growth factors, no live cells |
| Demineralized bone matrix | Large availability, low cost | Amorphous, few growth factors, no mineral portion |
| rhBMP | Large availability, potent growth factors | Requires carrier, no live cells, expensive |
| Ceramics (β-TCP and CHA) | Large availability, structurally sound, low immunogenicity | No live cells, no growth factors, no organic matrix |