A Novel Technique for Vertical Bone Augmentation in the Premaxillary Region

A severely absorbed alveolar ridge in an edentulous premaxillary region is often augmented vertically with various methods to allow for dental implant insertion. Such a severely absorbed ridge most often results from loss of bone due to periodontitis or trauma or after dental extraction; and if socket preservation is not performed immediately after extraction, the alveolus narrows and its vertical dimension may often be reduced by 4 to 5 mm. We introduce a new technique for bone augmentation in the premaxillary region, in which vertical bone augmentation can be performed simultaneously with the insertion of dental implants. The dental implants fix the bone transferred to the maxilla, and particulate bovine bone is placed in the gap between the 2 segments. This method involves a single operation only, requires minimal chair time, and reduces postoperative pain and swelling and involved gingival trauma. In addition, the period required before prosthodontic rehabilitation is shortened.