I watched a video at the hospital that showed how they can use bone substitute instead of bone graft now for problems with fractures that leave a hole or don't heal. How can anything manmade be better than what God put in us?

Natural bone graft material (either donated from the patient or taken from a bone bank) has been the gold standard for the treatment of fusions and bone defects for many, many years. But bone bank grafts aren't always available. And there have been problems with autogenous (bone donated to yourself) bone grafts.

Bone graft material is used whenever there's a need for extra bone to support a fracture site or defect in the bone. It's easily available (taken from the patient's pelvic bone) and inexpensive. And it is bone inductive (fosters bone growth) to provide structural support to the damaged area.

The downside is that the graft site can be painful for a very long time. In some cases, infection can delay recovery. Patients often report difficulty walking due to the pain. And the combination of pain and impaired walking result in loss of function.

To avoid the major and minor complications of bone graft, scientists are exploring the use of bone substitutes. Studies show collapse and resorption of the bone is less likely with bone substitutes. It is an acceptable replacement for bone graft material.

In fact, it appears to be a better choice. It is stiffer, offers more support, and holds up better under load compared with autogenous bone graft. There is also less sideways shifting or subsidence (sinking down into the bone matrix) of the healing bone with bone substitute materials.