Five-year results of implants inserted into freeze-dried block allografts.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome after 5 years of allografts as bone growth material and success of implants inserted in fresh-frozen allograft bone.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A total of 20 patients were operated and 41 onlay block freeze-dried allografts (calvarial and iliac crest) were inserted for bone augmentation. A total of 64 dental implants were performed in a two-stage procedure. Four patients had total edentulism and 16 had partial edentulism.

RESULTS

A total of 41 onlay block allografts were used to augment atrophic maxillae and mandibles in 20 patients. In five cases, there were horizontal and vertical augmentations. Exposure of bone allograft occurred in three cases during the first 6 weeks; all of them located in the posterior area. There were no postoperative effects in any of the cases. Fracture was observed in one case, the remaining bone was adequate to place the implants. Sixty-two dental implants were placed at second stage surgery. There was no loss of implants.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of fresh-frozen allogenic bone blocks can be considered as being reliable for reconstruction of maxillomandibular defects.