Ridge splitting technique in atrophic anterior maxilla with immediate implants, bone regeneration and immediate...

Narrow alveolar ridges remain a serious challenge for the successful placement of endosseous implants. This article reports a technique for widening the atrophic ridge by splitting the alveolar bone longitudinally and filling the bone gap with collagenised pig bone, treatment of ridges as thin as 2.5mm at the alveolar crest and simultaneous placement of dental implants. Treatment of a 22-year-old female patient with a severely resorbed anterior maxilla is described. 4mm wide by 13mm long threaded Osseotite implants were immediately placed within the split ridge and surrounded with a mixture of autogenous tuberosity and collagenised pig bone. The advantages of this technique for patients include less surgical trauma and reduced treatment time.