Abstract
Molar sites of the mandible can provide larger quantities of autogenous bone than other intraoral sites. We clinically investigated the bone harvest procedure from the mandibular molar region. The subjects were 21 patients (28 regions) who underwent veneer grafting, onlay grafting, sinus lifting, or combinations of these procedures. The fragments were harvested from cortical bone in the mandibular body, and their mean size was 14.6×22.4 (range of minor axis 10-25, range of major axis 10-40) mm on each side. The fragments were used inblock or particulate form, and the platelet rich plasma was used to promote bone proliferation and avoid complications. As for the results of bone augmentation, we could obtain adequate bone volume for the placement of fixtures in all patients. The mean extent of augmentation was equivalent to 3.24 (range 1-8) teeth, and the mean number of implants placed was 2.81 (range 1-7) fixtures. Two cases of mental nerve paresthesia and 1 case of boneexposure occurred as postoperative complications. In addition, bone blocks cracked in 2 patients at the time of fixture placement. However, the outcome of all cases of implant treatment was uneventful. This preliminary modified technique for harvesting bone from the ramus was useful for bone augmentation in patients undergoing implant treatment.
