Pietro Felice1, Carlo Barausse, Roberto Pistilli, Sergio Spinato, Fabio Bernardello. 1. *Unit of Periodontology and Implantology, Dental School, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. †Oral and Maxillofacial Department, A.C.O. San Filippo Neri, Rome, Italy. ‡Private practice, Terranegra di Legnago, Verona, Italy.
Abstract
PURPOSE: A novel technique to perform safe osteotomies during inlay block regenerative procedures in the posterior atrophic mandible is described. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A 52-year-old male patient with vertical atrophy of the left posterior mandible was treated adopting an inlay block "sandwich" technique using an allogenic cancelous block and a mixture of mineralized and demineralized human bone allograft in putty form as graft. The horizontal osteotomy for the lifting of the osteotomized bone segment was performed using a template prepared from a virtual anatomical replica of the patient's mandible obtained from cone beam computed tomography data. In the second surgical phase, 3 months after the augmentation, 2 implants were easily placed. RESULTS: The horizontal osteotomy was carried out, with no risk, very close to the nerve structures after the precise osteotomy line established preoperatively on the three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) virtual reconstruction. No neurological complications were observed in the first days after the procedure, and no subsequent problems were recorded during the 3-month healing period. CONCLUSION: Radiographic evaluations and complication-free clinical healing demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique to obtain safe and precise osteotomies.
PURPOSE: A novel technique to perform safe osteotomies during inlay block regenerative procedures in the posterior atrophic mandible is described. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A 52-year-old male patient with vertical atrophy of the left posterior mandible was treated adopting an inlay block "sandwich" technique using an allogenic cancelous block and a mixture of mineralized and demineralized human bone allograft in putty form as graft. The horizontal osteotomy for the lifting of the osteotomized bone segment was performed using a template prepared from a virtual anatomical replica of the patient's mandible obtained from cone beam computed tomography data. In the second surgical phase, 3 months after the augmentation, 2 implants were easily placed. RESULTS: The horizontal osteotomy was carried out, with no risk, very close to the nerve structures after the precise osteotomy line established preoperatively on the three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) virtual reconstruction. No neurological complications were observed in the first days after the procedure, and no subsequent problems were recorded during the 3-month healing period. CONCLUSION: Radiographic evaluations and complication-free clinical healing demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique to obtain safe and precise osteotomies.