Palatal approach for maxillary alveolar distraction.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this report was to describe a surgical technique for performing alveolar distraction in the upper jaw via a palatal approach.


METHODS
To illustrate this technique we report 2 clinical cases in which palatal-approach alveolar distraction was used to rectify insufficient alveolar rim height. The first case involves a 50-year-old man with atrophy of the alveolar rim in the posterior upper jaw. From the palatal side, a transport segment pedicled to the vestibular mucosa was cut, and 2 Lead System distractors (Leibinger, Kalamazoo, MI) were placed. The second case involves a 23-year-old woman with a bone defect in the alveolar rim in the premaxillary sector of the upper jaw. Again, from the palatal side, a transport segment pedicled to the vestibular mucosa was cut, and a single Lead System distractor was placed.


RESULTS
In both cases the height of the alveolar rim was successfully increased by 8 mm, allowing placement of three 12-mm implants in case 1, and two 12-mm implants in case 2.


CONCLUSIONS
We recommend a palatal approach and intraosseous distractors for alveolar distraction in the upper jaw.
Garcia
Abel Garcia
AG
University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. ciabelgg@usc.es
Martin
Manuel Somoza
MS
Vila
Pilar Gandara
PG
Saulacic
Nikola
N
Rey
Jose Manuel Gandara
JM
D000328:Adult; D000540:Alveolar Ridge Augmentation / Q000379:methods; D001284:Atrophy; D015921:Dental Implants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery*; D008439:Maxillary Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D019857:Osteogenesis, Distraction / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D010159:Palate / Q000601:surgery*
D015921:Dental Implants