The Efficiency of Computer Guided Ridge Splitting Using Piezosurgery in Horizontally Deficient Posterior Mandible

Ridge splitting technique causes lateral ridge expansion which creates new implant bed by longitudinal osteotomy, positioning buccal cortex laterally. The buccal cortex is positioned laterally to create space between buccal and lingual cortical plates, which is filled by an endosseous implant with or without any graft material limitations.

Ridge split technique is a very predictable procedure that can achieve substantial gains in horizontal ridge width of the edentulous posterior mandible without associated morbidity. This technique allows the clinician to augment the site and do the implant insertion in a single stage surgery, shortening the healing period drastically.

In the conventional ridge splitting technique, a complete flap is raised to allow adequate visibility of the bone defect which can result in disturbance of vascular supply and increase bone resorption rates. In this case report, a new innovative computer guided closed alveolar ridge splitting flapless technique has been advocated to avoid this disruption.

As Guided implant placement showed a statistically superior accuracy when they are compared with freehand placement after guided osteotomy Computer guided ridge splitting may have a superior accuracy than the freehand ridge splitting and may reduce the time of surgery, healing period and post-operative pain.