RECONSTRUCTION OF SEVERELY ATROPHIC JAWS USING HOMOGRAFTS: BONE DENSITY EVALUATION OVER TIME

Bone augmentation to reconstruct atrophic jaws provides the base for sufficient functional and aesthetic implant-supported oral rehabilitation. Although autografts are the standard procedure for bone grafting, the use of homologue bone provides a reasonable alternative. Here bone density of native and grafted bone was evaluated over time by using Computed Tomography (CT) output and a specific computer program. Five patients were grafted with Fresh Frozen Bone (i.e. FFB) and 41 implants were inserted in the same operation. Pearson's chisquare test was used to investigate difference in bone density (i.e. BD) between native and grafted immediately over time. BD of both native bone and FFB located far away from implants do not change over time. Native bone has about a double BD than FFB. Pen-implants FFB BD is growing over time: it became about 3/4 of native BD after 12 months follow-up (and after 8 months of loading). CT scan represents a valuable and accurate pre-operative method to obtain information about bone quality and quantity (i.e. volume of available bone).