Article:
Teeth First: A novel surgical treatment concept for the edentulous, acquired Class III, severely atrophied maxilla
Summary:
Extreme atrophy of the edentulous maxilla still represents a challenge as far as prosthetic rehabilitation with implant-supported fixed (screw-type) prostheses is concerned. This is due not only to insufficient bone volume for implant placement but also to unfavorable three-dimensional inter-maxillary relationships that is caused by the pattern of bone resorption in the maxilla. In the scientific literature, there are few clinical studies describing the use of the Le Fort I osteotomy, as a 1 or 2 stage procedure, for the reconstruction of a three dimensionally severely atrophied maxilla, prior to implant placement.