Aim of the study: Assessment of the quality and quantity of horizontal bone gain upon using the rami cortical blocks versus chin blocks for horizontal augmentation of atrophic maxillary ridges
Patients and Methods: Twenty operation sites in 18 patients suffering from partial edentulism in the maxilla with an inadequate bone width to allow favorable implant placement were selected from the outpatient clinic of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University. They were classified after being included in the study into (10 chin group candidate) & (10 ascending ramus candidate).
Results: A total of 20 atrophic sites (cases) in 18 patients ranging from 29-54 years old with a mean of 43.4 years were included in the present study (Table 2). The enrolled subjects were randomly divided by alternation into two groups. 10 sites received autogenous block graft harvested from the mandibular symphysis (symphyseal group). Other 10 sites received autogenous block graft harvested from the ascending ramus (ramus group).
Conclusion: Thus within the limits of this study the following could be concluded:
Ascending ramus onlay blocks showed significant better results than symphyseal onlay blocks regarding both the quality and stability of the grafted volume of bone.
Ramus graft harvesting is a more sensitive procedure as compared to symphyseal block graft and requires certain level of surgical skill and experience to be performed successfully.