The periodontist and the edentulous area--localised ridge augmentation.

The replacement of missing dentition by implant-borne dental restoration has been shown to be a highly predictable treatment method with good long-term prognosis. Subsequently, the use of implant-borne restorations has gradually increased over the use of conventional partial dentures and fixed restorations in recent years. Sufficient bone volume is the most important factor for successful implant-borne restoration, but often an insufficient amount of bone is found at implant sites. A new surgical approach to enlarge the width of alveolar crest was introduced by Buser et al. in 1996. This new approach is based on the principle of guided bone regeneration technique using a barrier membrane with autogenous bone grafts in the form of bone blocks, chips and particles. This promising new surgical technique allows placement of dental implants for implant-borne restorations in partially edentulous patients who were previously not considered to be implant candidates because of insufficient bone at the implant sites.