Global maxillary ridge augmentation with frozen radiation-sterilised bone blocks followed by implant placement: a case report

Due to atrophy of the tissue within the alveolar ridge, implantation must sometimes be preceded by bone regeneration. The use of allogeneic material allows the surgeon to prepare grafts of any shape and amount; therefore it is a good alternative to autograft reconstruction in patients with extensive atrophy of the alveolar ridge. The patient with maxillary anodontia showed insufficient width of the ridge along its entire length, which prevented implantation. Therefore, alveolar ridge reconstruction was planned. Four frozen, radiation-sterilised bone blocks processed in the Tissue Bank in Warsaw were used for reconstruction of the alveolar ridge. The blocks were grafted to the area of molars, premolars and lateral incisors bilaterally. Three months after surgery a normal union of transplants with the recipient site was achieved. Six implants were embedded and following the 6-month integration period a permanent prosthetic restoration was successfully performed. During a 38-month follow-up none of the implants were lost and the aesthetic or functional condition of the prosthetic restoration did not deteriorate. Frozen allogeneic radiation-sterilised bone blocks constitute good, efficient and safe material used in reconstruction of the alveolar ridge in extensive bone atrophy. This is only one of possible grafting materials for reconstruction of extremely atrophic alveolar ridge.