The retrospective study of marginal bone loss around dental implants according to different autogenous bone grafts

Introduction: This study examined the cumulative resorption of implants placed in a severely atrophic mandible and analyzed the radiologic bone resorption in the marginal bone, after an autogenous bone graft including both block and particulates that had been harvested from the ramus and iliac crest. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was performed on patients who had bone grafts for augmentation followed by implant installation in the mandible area from 2003 to 2008. Twelve patients (6 men and 6 women) who received 34 implants in the augmented sites were evaluated. Cumulative radiologic resorption around the implants was measured immediately, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after implant installation surgery. Results: The installed implant in grafted bone showed 0.84 mm marginal bone resorption after 3 months and 50% total cumulative resorption after 1 year. The mean marginal bone resorption around the implant installed in the grafted bone was 0.44 mm after 3 months, 0.52 mm after 1 year, after which it stabilized. The implant survival rate was 97% (failed implant was 1/34). Marginal bone resorption of the installed implant in the autogenous onlay block bone grafts was 0.98 mm after 3 months, which was significantly higher than that of a particulated bone graft (0.74 mm) (P<0.05). Conclusion: An autogenous graft including block type and particulate type is a predictable procedure for the use of dental implants in a severely atrophic mandible. Implant placement in augmented areas show a relatively high survival and minimal bone loss, as revealed by a radiologic evaluation.