Installation of dental implants in distracted anterior alveolar bone

Purpose This study was planned to evaluate the success of dental implants installed in distracted alveolar bone using extra-osseous vertical distractor. Patients and methods This is a prospective noncontrolled clinical study that was carried out on eight patients with age range from 20 to 50 years old who complained from vertical alveolar defect in anterior area and underwent vertical alveolar distraction osteogenesis using extra-osseous distractor device followed by implant installation. Results Clinically there was a significant increase in vertical height of alveolar bone after distraction at P value of 0.007. Radiographically, by cone-beam computed tomography there was a significant increase in alveolar bone height and implants installed in distracted anterior alveolar bone were successful. Conclusion Alveolar distraction osteogenesis was a predictable method for restoring alveolar ridge height prior to implant placement. Distraction osteogenesis is ideally suited for recreating missing tissues in the anterior esthetic zone. The bone gain reached at the end of distraction appears to be lasting.