title: Horizontal and vertical ridge augmentation for implant placement in the aesthetic zone.
abstract: Lack of sufficient bone to place an implant at the functionally and aesthetically most appropriate position is a common problem, especially in the upper anterior jaw. A surgical technique is proposed to augment the alveolar ridge for vertical and horizontal defects through a localized alveolar osteotomy and interpositional bone graft. Three bone cuts (two vertical and one horizontal) are made in the alveolar bone. This portion of bone is carefully down-fractured. The gap between this bone box and the alveolar bone is filled with an interpositional bone graft. An on-lay bone graft is placed in the buccal side of the defect and fixed with titanium osteosynthesis screws. The aim of this surgical technique is to achieve bone graft healing in a short period of time. The broad vascular pedicle on the palatal side is maintained to ensure a nutritional supply for the down-fractured bone and interposed bone graft. The on-lay bone graft augments the palatal-buccal dimension and the interposed graft guarantees vertical augmentation.
authors.affiliation: Maxillofacial Department, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Policlinico A. Gemelli, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pelo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boniello
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasparini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Longobardi
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Amoroso
mesh_terms: D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D000540:Alveolar Ridge Augmentation / Q000379:methods*; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D008336:Mandibular Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D008439:Maxillary Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography