The Application of Ridge Splitting Procedure in Severely Atrophied Maxillary Alveolar Ridge: Case Reports

Abstract

When tooth is extracted because of deep caries, severe periodontal disease, trauma etc., alveolar ridge resorption happen inevitably. Alveolar ridge resorption after tooth extraction makes implant placement difficult. To overcome these alveolar bone deficiencies, additional procedures such as GBR, Block bone graft, Ridge splitting or Distraction osteogenesis is needed. In case of severe horizontal bone loss (Seibert classification, Class I), implant placement is usually done with Block bone graft or GBR procedure. Unlike these two procedures, the ridge splitting converts non-contained defect to contained defect that are favorable to be healed. Also ridge splitting have advantages such as the maintenance of buccal plate and rapid healing by the strong local metabolism. In these two cases, it is ascertained that implant placement with ridge splitting procedure is effective in the severely atrophied alveolar ridge.