The combined use of endosteal implants and iliac crest onlay grafts in the severely atrophic mandible: a longitudinal study

Thirteen patients, who received an onlay bone graft augmentation to their severely atrophic mandible in combination with a simultaneous implant insertion, were studied prospectively. A reproducible method that allowed for accurate assessment of graft resorption, consisting of lateral and oblique-lateral cephalometric radiographs in combination with an image analysis system, was used to assess the resorption rate in all patients and between subgroups of patients, according to selected patient and treatment characteristics. Thirty implants were placed, none of which were lost, and all patients expressed satisfaction after a mean observation period of 877 days. A mean resorption rate of 36% of the grafted bone height occurred, mainly during the first year and with some degree of individual variance. After three years the resorption had virtually stopped. No statistically significant differences between any of the subgroups of patients could be distinguished. Peri-implantitis was found around eight implants in seven patients. It is concluded that the described surgical technique should be used only if there are stringent indications.