Palatal approach for maxillary alveolar distraction

Palatal approach for maxillary alveolar distraction
July 2004
Abel Garcia Garcia, MD, PhD * *
Manuel Somoza Martin, DDS ÇƒÜ
Pilar Gandara Vila, DDS Çƒ?
Nikola Saulacic, DDS, MSc ¨?
Jose Manuel Gandara Rey, MD, PhD, DDS ||
Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Online
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this report was to describe a surgical technique for performing alveolar distraction in the upper jaw via a palatal approach.
Patients and methods To illustrate this technique we report 2 clinical cases in which palatal-approach alveolar distraction was used to rectify insufficient alveolar rim height. The first case involves a 50-year-old man with atrophy of the alveolar rim in the posterior upper jaw. From the palatal side, a transport segment pedicled to the vestibular mucosa was cut, and 2 Lead System distractors (Leibinger, Kalamazoo, MI) were placed. The second case involves a 23-year-old woman with a bone defect in the alveolar rim in the premaxillary sector of the upper jaw. Again, from the palatal side, a transport segment pedicled to the vestibular mucosa was cut, and a single Lead System distractor was placed.
Results In both cases the height of the alveolar rim was successfully increased by 8 mm, allowing placement of three 12-mm implants in case 1, and two 12-mm implants in case 2.
Conclusions We recommend a palatal approach and intraosseous distractors for alveolar distraction in the upper jaw.
Publishing and Reprint Information
*Head of Section, Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago, and Professor of Maxillofacial Surgery, Spain
ÇƒÜAssistant Professor, Oral Surgery Unit, School of Dentistry, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Çƒ?Assistant Professor, Oral Surgery Unit, School of Dentistry, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
¨?Assistant Professor, Oral Surgery Unit, School of Dentistry, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
||Professor of Maxillofacial Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
*Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Garca: Facultad de Odontologa, Entrerrios s/n, Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Email: ciabelgg@usc.es
Email address: ciabelgg@usc.es
Copyright ¨© 2004 by American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2004.01.012
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