Submandibular fossa augmentation in implant dentistry

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Implant Dentistry
• Anatomical Augmentation

Background:

• Dental implant length in the mandible is limited by the inferior dental canal and submandibular fossa.
• Lingual bony undercuts beneath the mylohyoid ridge pose challenges for standard implant placement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate submandibular fossa augmentation as a method to overcome lingual undercuts.
• To enable the placement of longer dental implants in the mandibular posterior region.

Main Methods:

• Patients with lingual posterior bony undercuts preventing 10 mm implant placement were selected.
• Submandibular fossa augmentation was performed on these patients.

Main Results:

• The technique was applied to 10 sites in eight patients.
• Successful increase in dental implant length was achieved.
• Reduced risk of sublingual hematoma from lingual cortical plate perforation was observed.

Conclusions:

• Submandibular fossa augmentation is a novel technique for oral surgeons.
• It enhances the ability to increase dental implant length in cases of deep lingual bony undercut.