Reconstruction of the severely atrophic edentulous mandible by means of autogenous bone grafts and simultaneous placement of osseointegrated implants.

A method of reconstructing the severely atrophic mandible that simultaneously provides additional strength and the ability to house osseointegrated implants is presented. The performance of the procedure from an external approach minimizes the possibility of oral contamination and, therefore, infection. The procedure has been performed on 10 patients, with a longest follow-up of 3 years. A 93% success rate has been achieved, and bone resorption at the implant sites has thus far been negligible. Prosthetic rehabilitation has been done in 9 of the 10 cases; 3 have been tissue-supported prostheses, and 6 have been completely implant-supported prostheses.