Inlay autograft of intra-membranous bone for lateral alveolar ridge augmentation: a new surgical technique

This study describes a new surgical technique for harvesting intra-membranous bone from the mandibular symphyseal region and using it as an inlay graft. The surgical technique of turning a complex-shaped defect into a defect of defined size by contour preparation and insertion of an appropriate inlay graft was used in 31 patients. At 4 months, 15 patients (48%) showed negligible graft resorption of 0.33 mm. At 5-8 months the resorption rate in the remaining 16 patients was around 1.22 mm. All in all, a significant positive correlation was found between bone resorption and time (r = 0.574; P < 0.001). All patients received an implant after the fixation screw was removed. A conservative interpretation of the results suggests that, on account of the flush fit and the early revascularization of the graft, implants may and should, in fact, be inserted earlier in order to prevent graft resorption.