“TENT POLE” GRAFTINGFor Complicated Alveolar Defects
Professor Michael Yuanchien CHEN
“TENT POLE” concept for reconstruction of severely resorbed mandible
as an adjunct procedure of complicated implant restoration was first advocated
by Prof. Robert E. Marx who published a series of 64 consecutive successful
cases through submental approach in the year 2002. However, in my hand, the “Tent
Pole” grafting concept could also be extrapolated in atrophic upper & lower
jaws with significantly vertical dimensional loss through intraoral approach
either by para-crestal or vestibule incisions. Of all the biomaterials serving
the purpose as “Tent Pole”, I’d like to introduce autogenous iliac “J-Bone Block” which is basically an
onlay bone graft harvested from anterio-medial aspect of ilium. It allowed
contour adjustment only by simple hand instruments such as rongeur or bone
cutter, to be secured properly and intimately at recipient site by one mini-screw
on each bone block so that transverse & vertical alveolar ridge augmentation
could be achieved simultaneously. According to the differences of Pre-Op &
6 months Post-Op CBCT images calculated by computer software, “Mimics” , the average early volume
shrinkage of the transplanted iliac J-Bone Blocks is about 17.3% with usually
more than enough ridge volume left for placing regular diameter dental implants
at ideal location and axial alignment. Subsequent overall survival rates of all
these implant supported restorations are high above 90% in this author’s case
series.
