Background. Early bone loss due to tooth extraction can be significantly reduced by socket preservation. The aim of this study was to compare the in vivo effects of hemihydrate calcium sulfate granules (an alloplastic material) and Cerabone (a bovine derived xenograft ) on socket preservation in dogs. Methods. Six male Mongrel dogs were randomly divided into 2 groups (n=3) for sacrificing and histological evaluation 4 and 8 weeks after a surgery. The second and third premolars on both sides of the lower jaw were extract ed surgically. The sockets on one side were filled with Cerabone, and with calcium sulfate on the opposite side. In the slides, the ratio of the area of newly formed bone to the area of the entire cavity, and the ratio of the area of fibrous connective tis sue to the area of the entire cavity were measured. The presence of inflammation was also examined. Wilcoxon signed - rank test, Sign test and McNemar test were used for statistical analyses (ɑ=0.05). Results. The means of new bone proportion were 11% and 8% for Cerabone and calcium sulfate, respectively (P=0.58). The means of connective tissue proportion were 29% and 33% for Cerabone and calcium sulfate, respectively (P=0.72). No in- flammatory cells were observed in the Cerabone group, although 50% of the sam ples in the calcium sulfate group showed inflammation (P=0.50). Conclusion . The effects of calcium sulfate and Cerabone on socket preservation in dogs on bone formation, fibrous connec- tive tissue and inflammation levels were not significantly different at 4 and 8 week postoperative intervals.

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