D. van STEENBERGHE*1, I. NAERT, M. QUIRYNEN, R. JACOBS, A. CALLENS. (Dept. Periodontol, Fac Med, Cathol Univ Leuven, Capucijnenvoer 7, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.)
The loss of teeth is followed by a significant loss of jaw bone height especially if removable prostheses are installed. Bone augmentation procedures by means of autologous bone grafts involves surgery with significant side-effects and a short-term improvement of prosthesis retention. Installation of osseointegrated implants ad modum Brånemark allows to maintain the marginal bone level for decades. For some implant surfaces this seems not to be the case although they achieve bone apposition. In combination with autologous bone grafts the same results are obtained at least for 7 years of observation. Whether the same stability can be achieved with bovine bone (Bio-Oss) remains to be demonstrated but short-term data are promising.
If overdentures rather than fixed prostheses are used a reduction in bone height in the distal jaw regions can occur after several years. Even if clinically not very significant one should consider it in a long-term perspective.
1 Holder of the P-I. Brånemark Chair in Osseointegration