Appositional bone graft tunneled: Technical note

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Oral Surgery
• Bone Grafting Techniques

Background:

• Proper dental implant positioning is crucial for aesthetic and functional outcomes in edentulous patients.
• Sufficient bone volume is necessary for endosseous implant placement.
• Horizontal bone augmentation using bone grafting is increasingly common for ridge deficiencies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a modified tunnel technique for onlay bone grafting using the mandibular arch as a donor site.
• To highlight the advantages of substituting screws with alternative stabilization methods in the tunnel technique.

Main Methods:

• Surgical procedure involving dental implants for edentulous space rehabilitation.
• Tunnel technique utilizing an appositional bone graft from the mandibular arch.
• Substitution of conventional titanium screws for graft stabilization.

Main Results:

• Reduced surgical time compared to conventional methods.
• Elimination of complications associated with titanium screws.
• Preservation of periosteal integrity and avoidance of screw removal incisions.

Conclusions:

• The modified tunnel technique is simple, cost-effective, and time-efficient.
• This approach yields highly predictable results and high success rates for onlay bone grafting.
• The technique facilitates improved dental implant placement in deficient bone ridges.