Overview and historical perspective of oral reconstructive surgery

Pioneers in the field of dental reconstruction had little to offer their edentulous patients other than prostheses that were generally fitted without preparation or augmentation of the alveolar ridge. By the mid-1940s, the development of surgical procedures and the introduction of new materials offered significant advances. Increased denture retention was achieved by some implant methods and through use of the mandibular staple bone plate. Improvements in hydroxylapatite provided a material that could be used for alveolar ridge augmentation. It proved effective in limiting resorption and increasing attachment to soft and hard tissue. The recent development of purified fibrillar collagen in combination with hydroxylapatite enhances our ability to provide effective, long-lasting dental prostheses.