[Atraumatic bone expansion: Interest of piezo-surgery, conicals expanders and immediate implantation combination]

The durability of dental implants depends on the presence of a 1mm coating bone sheath all around the fixture. Therefore, bone resorption represents a challenge for the practitioner. Bone expansion is a surgical technique that allows the management of horizontal bone atrophy. Cortical bone splitting allows for an enlargement of the residual crest by displacement of the vestibular bone flap. The immediate placement of implants secures the widening and allows for a 97% survival rate. However, bone expansion is hard to undertake in sites with high bone density. Furthermore, the use of traditional instruments increases patient's stress and the risk for an interruptive fracture during bone displacement. Non-traumatic bone expansion is one solution to this problem. The combination of piezo-surgery and conical expanders allows for a secured displacement of the selected bone flap as well as an immediate implant placement, avoiding the risk of slipping, overheating, or fracture, all within an undeniable operative comfort. Non-traumatic bone expansion is a reliable, reproducible, conservative, and economical in time and cost procedure. We describe our atraumatic bone expension and immediate implant placement technique in high bone density sites and illustrate it by a clinical case.