Ultrasonographic measurement of the soft-tissue of the upper jaw.

For preimplantation diagnoses, various mechanical methods for measuring the width of the soft tissue and thus measuring indirectly the osseous bed of the implant can be used. The ability to determine soft tissue thickness above the jaw by ultrasound was evaluated in 8 autopsy specimens. The data obtained were compared with findings from the needle measurement method which is usually employed in clinical practice. The ultrasound measurement method produced realistic data in all sectional planes chosen.