Treatment of peri-implant defects with the vertical ridge augmentation procedure: a patient report

Most clinical patient reports apply the biologic principles of guided bone regeneration, in addition to defect filling with autogenous bone grafts or bone graft substitutes, in peri-implantitis therapy. Not infrequently, sites with membrane coverage have revealed early exposure, with subsequent infections, premature membrane removal, and insufficient bone regeneration. The present patient report demonstrates another surgical approach that uses the clinical principles and soft tissue management of vertical ridge augmentation, strictly following the same surgical protocol, on previously cleaned implant surfaces. The successful outcome of this surgical approach in one patient supports the feasibility of the selected treatment method in maintaining both the implants and the prosthetic reconstruction involved with peri-implantitis.