Clinical assessment of the bone width following lateral ridge expansion in augmentation of narrow alveolar ridges for placing immediate dental implants

Background: Less residual alveolar bone at extraction site at esthetic and functional tooth position is the main limitation in placing a dental implant, especially at long-span edentulous ridges. This needs ridge augmentation. Aims: To assess bone width gain and implant stability following narrow ridge augmentation using the vertical ridge split technique. Materials and Methods: In 22 subjects within the age group of 20-60 years and the mean age of 38.46 years. The vertical ridge split technique was done in all subjects for horizontal ridge augmentation. Paraesthesia, pain/discomfort, mobility, and radiographic crestal bone width were assessed 6 months postoperatively. The data were described as mean and standard deviation along with number and percentage. Paired t-test was also used keeping the level of significance at P < 0.05. Results: Implant stability was seen in 86.36% (n = 19) study subjects and were not stable in 13.63% (n = 3) subjects. Bone width preoperatively was in the range of 3.1-4.4 mm with the mean value of 3.64 ± 0.41. Postoperatively, the bone width increased and was in the range of 5.2-6.3 mm with the mean value of 5.62 ± 0.45 mm. This increase postoperatively was statistically significant with a P value of <0.001 Conclusion: The present study concludes that acceptable success results are seen using the ridge split technique with simultaneous dental implants placement in both atrophic maxilla and mandible.