title: Extracted tooth roots used for lateral alveolar ridge augmentation: a proof-of-concept study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy of tooth roots used as autografts for lateral ridge augmentation and two-stage early osseointegration of titanium implants.
  
  
  METHODS
  The maxillary premolars were randomly assigned to either endodontic therapy (PM-E) or were left untreated (PM-C). Retromolar cortical autogenous bone (AB) blocks served as controls. PM-E/PM-C and AB were used for ridge augmentation at chronic-type defects in both lower quadrants (n = 8 foxhounds). At 12 weeks, titanium implants were inserted and left to heal for another 3 weeks. Histological analyses considered crestal ridge width (CW); augmented area (AA) and bone-to-implant contact (BIC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both PM and AB grafts (exposures: AB = 3; PM-C = 4; PM-E = 7) were gradually involved in the bone remodelling process and associated with a replacement resorption. Median CW (PM-C: 2.70 versus AB: 3.30 mm; PM-E: 2.96 versus AB: 3.35 mm), AA (PM-C: 7.55 versus AB: 8.56 mm(2) ; PM-E: 11.20 versus AB: 6.60 mm(2) ) and BIC (PM-C: 36.96 mm versus AB: 64.10%; PM-E: 50.79 versus AB: 32.53%) values were comparable in both PM and AB groups (p > 0.05, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Extracted tooth roots revealed a structural and biological potential to serve as an alternative autograft to autogenous bone. A higher exposure rate may be expected when using endodontically treated teeth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Golubovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Ilja
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mihatovic
mesh_terms: D000540:Alveolar Ridge Augmentation; D000818:Animals; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous; D015921:Dental Implants; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D016348:Osseointegration; D014092:Tooth Root
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants
keywords: alveolar ridge augmentation; animal experiment; histological technic; tooth transplantation