Reconstruction of Severely Resorbed Alveolar Ridge Crests with Dental Implants Using a Bovine Bone Mineral for Augmentation

This study reviews the outcome of implant placement in 61 patients after augmentation of severely atrophic alveolar bone with a bovine bone mineral, Bio-Oss. Bone augmentation was performed at 4 different sites: alveolar crest width, alveolar crest height, antral cavity, or nasal cavity. After a mean healing time of 11.9 months, 231 implants were placed in Bio-Oss bone. The time of loading of the implants varied between 12 and 113 months. Calculated from the time of implant placement and irrespective of loading time, a survival rate of 80.5% for the individual implants was estimated. In most patients (73%), Bio-Oss was mixed with autogenous bone from the chin. However, the results indicated that autogenous bone may be excluded from the Bio-Oss graft. Keywords: alveolar bone loss, alveolar ridge augmentation, bovine bone, dental implants