Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze horizontal bone augmentation using the tenting screw technique in the posterior mandible. Included subjects had a 3-mm bone width and 9-mm bone height, measured by CBCT. After the surgical approach, two to four screws were inserted, leaving 4 mm of extraosseous space; reconstruction was achieved using allogeneic biomaterial and leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin together with an absorbable membrane. After 4 months, a new CBCT scan was obtained to compare the bone gain and implant placement. Early and secondary stability were measured by the implant stability quotient (ISQ); prosthetic load was performed 16 weeks later. Student t test was used to compare bone gains and implant stability, with significance set at P.05. Fourteen subjects and 27 surgical sites initially exhibited a mean bone width of 2.95 +/- 0.75 mm. Four months after augmentation, the bone width was 7.15 +/- 1.87 mm, confirming a significant bone gain (4.2 +/- 1.26 mm). Twenty-seven implants were placed with a minimum insertion torque of 35 Ncm; the primary stability was 69.3 +/- 7.16 ISQ, and the secondary stability was 75.9 +/- 3.29 ISQ (P>.05). It may be concluded that the tenting screw technique is predictable in terms of bone gain and that it facilitates implant stability.