The use of particulate bone grafts from the mandible for maxillary sinus floor augmentation before placement of surface-modified implants:: Results from bone grafting to delivery of the final fixed prosthesis

Purpose: This prospective study followed 61 patients who were partially dentulous and considered to have insufficient bone volume for routine implant treatment and consequently underwent sinus inlay bone grafting. Patients and Methods: The patients were treated with maxillary sinus floor augmentation with particulated autogenous bone from the mandibular ramus/corpus. After a healing period, dental implants (n = 180) were installed. Results: Radiographic examination revealed average residual vertical bone heights of 6.5 mm in the first premolar region, 3.8 turn in the second premolar region, 3.5 mm in the first molar region, and 2.6 mm in the second molar region. The average implant lengths were 12 mm in the first premolar region and 11 mm in the second premolar, first, and second molar regions. All patients received a fixed partial prosthesis. All bone grafts were stable, and the implant survival rate was 98.9%. There were few cases of minor complications postoperatively and no record of any injured teeth, heavy bruising, bleeding, or swelling in either the donor site or the recipient site. The present clinical study demonstrated a low failure rate of surface-modified dental implants when placed into the maxillary sinus an average of 7 months after augmentation with particulate mandibular bone grafts and followed up to delivery of the final fixed prosthesis. Conclusion: The findings indicate that treatment with endosseous implants may be as predictable in patients with inadequate bone who underwent sinus floor augmentation as in patients with adequate bone volume. (C) 2008 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.