Use of the mandibular ramus as a donor site for onlay bone grafting

Cortical bone grafts harvested from the posterior mandible offer several advantages for bone augmentation prior to implant placement. These grafts maintain their dense quality and exhibit minimal resorption upon incorporation. Considerable amounts of bone can be harvested from this area for use as an onlay graft. In addition, the ramus area has some inherent advantages over other donor sites. This article describes the indications and surgical technique for harvesting bone from the ramus region.