Delivery Systems — Putty, Gel, and Crunch
One of the major innovations in 2026 is the variety of "carriers" used to deliver DBM to the patient. Raw DBM powder is difficult for surgeons to handle, as it can wash away during irrigation or bleeding.
To solve this, manufacturers mix the powder with biocompatible viscous carriers like glycerol, sodium hyaluronate, or carboxymethylcellulose. This results in a "putty" or "gel" consistency that can be molded to fit the exact shape of a bone defect.
Specialized "Crunch" or "Plus" formulations incorporate small chips of mineralized cancellous bone into the DBM putty. These chips provide a bit of mechanical "bulk" and structural support that pure DBM lacks. By 2026, reverse-phase media carriers have become popular; these materials are thin and injectable at room temperature but thicken into a sturdy, stay-put consistency once they reach the patient's body temperature ($37$°C).