Cortical lamina technique: A therapeutic approach for lateral ridge augmentation using guided bone regeneration

The present study aimed at evaluating the efficacy of a novel technique, the bone lamina technique, in horizontal ridge augmentation clinically & radiographically using a combination of allogenic cortical shell, particulate xenograft and resorbable collagen membrane. Localized horizontal ridge defects, in ten patients (6 male, 4 female), with bucco-palatal ridge width less than 5 mm were included in this study. Localised ridge augmentation was performed using bone lamina technique with mineralised allogenic shell of 1 mm thickness trimmed to the appropriate size using stereo-lithographic models and fixed to the recipient site with stainless steel micro-screws of 1 mm diameter. The space between the shell & host bone was filled with particulate xenograft followed by placement of collagen membrane and primary closure of the site. Clinical parameters including ridge width before & after flap reflection & radiographic (CBCT) ridge width measurements were recorded pre-operatively,and six months after the augmentation procedure. Results obtained were analysed statistically. The mean clinical ridge width before flap reflection (BFR), after flap reflection (AFR) & radiographically was 3.7 ± 0.74 mm, 2 ± 0.70 mm & 1.77 ± 0.71 mm respectively at baseline which increased to 6.8 ± 0.95 mm, 5.15 ± 0.98 mm & 4.90 ± 0.90 mm with a mean gain in ridge width of 3.1 ± 0.63 mm ( < 0.005), 3.15 ± 0.63 mm (