Mandibular Distraction Osteogenesis for Endosseous Dental Implants

Mandibular Distraction Osteogenesis for Endosseous Dental Implants
March 2005
By David A. Walker, DDS, MS, FRCD(C)
Journal of the Canadian Dental Association
Please visit the web site to view the article in its entirety.
A b s t r a c t
Patients with complete or partial edentulism who have insufficient bone for endosseous dental implant treatment present a challenge for the dental practitioner. Alveolar distraction osteogenesis is a technique for creating bone and soft tissue, without the need for bone grafting and its potential complications.
In this article, alveolar distraction osteogenesis is compared with traditional bone grafting techniques. A case is presented to illustrate successful bilateral mandibular vertical distraction osteogenesis with creation of adequate bone volume for endosseous implant-supported dental restoration.