COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF CRESTAL BONE LEVEL IN RELATION TO IMPLANTS PLACED USING CONVENTIONAL OSTEOTOMES AND BONE EXPANSION SCREWS

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The comparison of crestal bone loss in relation to implants placed using conventional drilling osteotomy method and using bone expansion screws in maxillary region. METHODS: The crestal bone loss was measured after implant placement and after a period of six months, and the results analyzed. Equal number of male and female patients of comparable age group who opted implant treatment were selected.RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: After a period of six months of implant placement, a mean value of 1.37 mm of crestal bone loss was noticed for implants placed using conventional osteotomy method while a mean of 0.73 was noticed in relation to implants placed using expansion screws.CONCLUSION: The implants placed using bone expansion screws show less crestal bone loss compared to implants placed using conventional osteotomy method in maxillary edentulous ridge having less than ideal bone width. It infers that the bone expansion method using expansion screws is more reliable and relatively noninvasive way of implant bed preparation.