Tunnel Access for Horizontal Alveolar Ridge Augmentation

Several techniques have been introduced to minimize the invasiveness involved in oral bone regeneration, to prevent the coronal advancement of the flap, which in turn reduces postoperative discomfort, swelling, complications, and mobility.

The tunnel technique involves making a vertical incision to access the bone defect and inserting the grafts. The significant benefit of this approach is that it may be closed without the need for periosteal incisions. Several tunnel techniques have been described in the literature using various biomaterials including bovine bone, synthetic bone, bovine bone block, allograft block bone, hidroxiapatite. This clinical study assesses the efficiency of a minimally invasive surgical technique for horizontal ridge augmentation using Biphasic Calcium Phosphate and Acellular Dermal Matrix.

This minimally invasive procedure aims to increase the horizontal volume of the edentulous ridge in both its bone component (through the use of Biphasic Calcium Phosphate) and its mucosal component (through the use of Acellular Dermal Matrix). Compared to other traditional techniques, this procedure, performed through a tunnel approach, would significantly reduce the invasiveness of the treatment.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients had to be healthy according to System of the American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) and aged 18 years or older

• No general medical condition representing a contraindication to implant therapy
• minimum 2 missing teeth in the maxilla or mandible from the canine to the second molar
• No periodontal disease (periodontal probing depth <4 mm) or treated periodontitis
• Good oral hygiene (full mouth plaque index<25%)
• Adequate control of inflammation (full mouth bleeding on probing<25%)

Exclusion criteria

• smoking of more than 15 cigarettes a day • untreated periodontal disease
• pregnancy or breastfeeding at date of inclusion • acute infections
• keratinized mucosal tissue less than 2 mm.