title: Vertical ridge augmentation using xenogenous bone blocks: a comparison between the flap and tunneling procedures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies have shown that the subperiosteal tunneling procedure in vertical ridge augmentation accelerates healing after grafting and prevents graft exposure, with minor postoperative complications. It is conceivable that new bone formation would be greater with the tunneling procedure than with the flap procedure, because the former is minimally invasive. This hypothesis was tested in this study by comparing new bone formation between the flap and tunneling procedures after vertical ridge augmentation using xenogenous bone blocks in a canine mandible model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two Bio-Oss blocks were placed on the edentulous ridge in each side of the mandibles of 6 mongrel dogs. The blocks in each side were randomly assigned to grafting with a flap procedure (flap group) or grafting with a tunneling procedure (tunneling group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean percentage of newly formed bone within the block was 15.3 ± 6.6% in the flap group and 46.6 ± 23.4% in the tunneling group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on data presented in this study, when a tunneling procedure is used to place xenogenous bone blocks for vertical ridge augmentation, bone formation in the graft sites is significantly greater than when a flap procedure is used.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Student, Department of Dentistry, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, South Korea.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xuan
authors.affiliation: Graduate Student, Department of Dentistry, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, South Korea.
authors.forename: Chun-Ui
authors.initials: CU
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Graduate Student, Department of Dentistry, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong-Seog
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: Graduate Student, Department of Dentistry, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yiqin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Dentistry, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Mi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Dentistry, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, South Korea. Electronic address: choibh@wonju.yonsei.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Byung-Ho
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000540:Alveolar Ridge Augmentation / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology; D018786:Bone Substitutes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D064593:Heterografts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000601:surgery; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008903:Minerals / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D023421:Models, Animal; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D010521:Periosteum / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography; D011897:Random Allocation; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: C077540:Bio-Oss; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D008903:Minerals