The combined use of endosseous dental implants and collagen/hydroxylapatite augmentation procedures for reconstruction/augmentation of the edentulous and atrophic mandible: a preliminary report.

The combination of a relatively new alveolar ridge augmentation material composed of purified fibrillar bovine collagen (PFC) and particulate hydroxylapatite (HA) (Alveoform Biograft Collagen Corp., Palo Alto, Calif.), along with endosseous root form dental implants, was simultaneously placed by a combined flap and tunneling technique to reconstruct and augment endentulous and atrophic mandibles. Prosthodontic and patient surveys reported great satisfaction with overdenture stability, retention, comfort, esthetics, speech, and function. Six reported cases showed that clinically significant alveolar ridge augmentation and form were achieved and maintained with the added prosthetic support and improved stability and retention produced by the combination of procedures. Histologic study of core specimens obtained through the ridge augmentation graft material provided evidence of supracortical bone ingrowth into the graft matrix.