Mixing Allograft and Xenograft for a Predictable Alveolar Ridge Preservation Procedure: A Case Series

Area of Science:

• Dental surgery
• Periodontology
• Biomaterials science

Background:

• Alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) is crucial for successful dental implant placement.
• Optimizing ARP outcomes may involve combining different bone graft sources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of using a combined allograft and xenograft for alveolar ridge preservation.
• To assess the predictability of this combined graft approach in a case series.

Main Methods:

• Eleven patients requiring tooth extraction and subsequent implant placement underwent ARP.
• A 1:1 mixture of allograft and xenograft bone fibers/granules was used, with collagen membranes as needed.
• Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) was utilized for pre-implant planning.

Main Results:

• All 11 cases showed uneventful healing post-ARP.
• Complete radiographic bone fill was observed in CBCT scans at 120 days minimum post-ARP.
• No additional bone augmentation was required before implant placement.

Conclusions:

• A combination of allogenic and xenogenic bone substitutes provides predictable outcomes for alveolar ridge preservation.
• Further research comparing different graft ratios is recommended to refine clinical protocols.