Low incidence of severe adverse effects after mandibular ridge reconstruction using hydroxylapatite

The short and long term adverse effects after ridge reconstruction using hydroxylapatite (HA) are presented in this study. The HA was inserted using a modified tunnelling technique, followed by a lowering of the floor of the mouth and a vestibuloplasty using split thickness skin graft, 4-6 weeks later. The study comprised 637 patients followed for a period of 1 to 10 years (mean 6.0+/-2.6 years). Major loss of HA was seen in 17 patients (2.7%). Donor site visibility (skin graft) appeared to improve greatly over the years from 29.2% to 8.8% at the latest follow-up. Neurosurgery deficits also improved from 11.6% (paraesthesia and dysaesthesia) to 4.6%. Long term follow-up revealed a high percentage of patient satisfaction (97%), indicating that the low incidence of severe adverse effects of the procedure does play a significant role in the appreciation of the procedure and prosthetic care.