A Novel Approach for Horizontal Augmentation of Posterior Maxilla Using Ridge Split Technique

Over the years, there have been a series of innovative approaches to the alveolar bone augmentation techniques. These have led to the modifications of the existing methods and the establishment of more efficient ways to obtain sufficient bone mass that is necessary for the implant procedure. The aim of this paper is to propose a novel augmentation technique, and to investigate its efficacy, particularly during the healing process of the maxillary alveolar bone prior to the implant treatment. During the application of the proposed methodology, first, the ridge-split technique was applied to the posterior maxilla. Then, a horizontal augmentation procedure was performed with an autogenous bone graft. Implants were placed at the second month of the surgery. Prosthetic rehabilitation was completed after the osseointegration of the implants. The technique was compared with the ridge-split method with simultaneous implant placement in 14 patients. The groups were divided into 2, the control group and the experimental group, each containing 7 patients. The aimed success criteria for the status of the endosteal implants were fulfilled and there were not any complications observed in the second year of follow-up.The basic practical innovation offered by the proposed surgical technique is to achieve the required horizontal dimension and to change the quality of the bone conveniently. The press-fit insertion leads to multipoint contact healing of the transported bone and the use of cortical block bone in posterior maxilla, led to a significantly advantageous higher stability level for both the placement and the survival of the implants.