title: [Applications of minimally invasive bone splitting technique in cases with missing maxillary anterior teeth and obvious labial alveolar bone depression for dental implantation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to introduce a minimally invasive bone splitting technique which is suitable for cases with missing anterior teeth and obvious depression of alveolar bone in labial side, and to evaluate its clinical results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Minimally invasive bone splitting technique was used in 8 healthy adults with bone defects in the aesthetic zone. The labial alveolar bone incisions were confined around the bone defects which were smaller than traditional incisions. The other procedures were the same as conventional bone splitting technique. Cone-beam CT (CBCT) for missing anterior teeth was taken before surgery, after the surgery and 6 months after surgery and alveolar bone height and width were recorded with landmark identification designed by ourselves in this study. The data were analyzed with SPSS 21.0 software package for paired t test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Paired t test indicated that after surgery and six months after surgery, the labial bone defect was significant improved (P<0.05), but the height of the alveolar ridge bone didn't increase significantly (P>0.05) while the width of the alveolar ridge bone significant improved (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This minimally invasive technique can achieve good clinical results for not only intact labial alveolar ridge bones but also good bone grafts, which is beneficial to implantation and prosthetic aesthetics. The long-term outcome needs to be observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Implantology and Prothodontics, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Kunming Medical University, School of Stomatology, Kunming Medical University. Kunming 650100, Yunnan Province, China. E-mail:baojibo1221@163.com.
authors.forename: Ji-Bo
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Xu-Hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Zhi-Gang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Liang-Kun
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Zi-Liang
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000539:Alveolar Process; D000848:Anodontia; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D003757:Dental Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008437:Maxilla; D014070:Tooth; D014081:Tooth Extraction; D016388:Tooth Loss