Absolute augmentation of the extremely atrophic mandible. (A modified technique)

A modified technique for reconstruction of the atrophic mandible is presented. The caudal part of the mandible is mobilized through a combined intra-extraoral approach or an entirely extraoral approach. The bone graft is then inserted between the osteotomized fragments. The results in terms of bone resorption are comparable with those of the original method, but the risk of a lesion of the mandibular nerve is substantially reduced. Moreover, supplementary vestibuloplasty is only occasionally necessary.