A new concept in maxillary implant surgery: the osteotome technique.

This article reviews the limitations of drilling into soft bone to place endosseous implants. Differences among bone types and the anatomy of the maxilla are described. The osteotome technique, which is a new method of placing implants into maxillary bone without drilling, and the rationale for two other procedures, the osteotome sinus floor elevation and the ridge expansion osteotomy, are detailed. How osteotomes conserve osseous tissue and may improve bone density around the implant is also discussed. A pilot study that shows excellent results with several types of press-fit implants using the osteotome technique is provided. The author concludes that the osteotome technique is superior to drilling for many applications in soft maxillary bone. Furthermore, the osteotome technique allows more implants to be inserted in a greater variety of sites during a routine office procedure.