Ridge augmentation with dense hydroxylapatite/resorbable suture matrix.

The atrophic edentulous ridge represents one of the greatest challenges faced in general practice. An estimated 20 million adults in the U.S. are edentulous in at least one arch and a significant number of these patients experience problems with their prostheses from alveolar bone loss. Many of these patients, for various reasons, are not candidates for endosseous dental implants. Alveolar ridge augmentation is a viable option in many of these cases; however, this procedure has been unpredictable because of particle migration. Presented here is a method of ridge augmentation with dense hydroxylapatite beads linked in a resorbable suture matrix to prevent particle migration during healing. This technique may be performed with minimally invasive surgery, providing long-term prosthetic support.