title: Palatal osteotomy with vestibuloplasty for the treatment of severe maxillary atrophy: a new twist on an old technique.
abstract: Nowadays, upper denture instability secondary to severe maxillary atrophy is treated, in most cases, with dental implants. However, a significant number of patients cannot afford this procedure. Palatal bone deepening through a U-shaped osteotomy has been described previously. The procedure increases retention by improving the suction effect of the palate and prevents anteroposterior and lateral movement of the denture. By combining this procedure with a secondary epithelialization vestibuloplasty, the labial aspect of the ridge is also extended and it does not require a skin graft. This article describes a modification of the palatal vault osteotomy through the presentation of a case.
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Québec, Université Laval, Hôpital de l'Enfant-Jésus, Québec, Canada. Electronic address: carl.bouchard@fmd.ulaval.ca.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bouchard
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Québec, Université Laval, Hôpital de l'Enfant-Jésus, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: P-É
authors.initials: PÉ
authors.lastname: Landry
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Québec, Université Laval, Hôpital de l'Enfant-Jésus, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Goodyer
mesh_terms: D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000601:surgery; D000540:Alveolar Ridge Augmentation / Q000379:methods*; D003781:Denture Retention; D003827:Denture, Complete, Upper; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008437:Maxilla / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013516:Oral Surgical Procedures, Preprosthetic / Q000379:methods*; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000379:methods; D010159:Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D014727:Vestibuloplasty / Q000379:methods*
keywords: maxillary atrophy; osteotomy; palate; preprosthetic surgery