Local intraoral autologous bone harvesting for dental implant treatment: alternative sources and criteria of choice.

Dental implants are established alternatives for replacing missing teeth. In case of alveolar bone resorption, implant placement may be prevented unless the volume of hard tissues is increased before or during implantation. Autologous bone graft is still regarded as the "gold standard" in alveolar reconstruction., but many factors may influence the final outcome. The success of intraoral bone grafts, in fact, depends, among other factors, on the choice of donor graft material as well as on how the material is handled. The evidence supporting the use of autogenous intramembranous bone with or without the use of barrier membranes is briefly reviewed. The rational of donor site choice is also presented. Advantages and disadvantages of different harvesting site are discussed.