ABSTRACT
Sufficient bone volume is essential for initial primary stability, leading to successful osseointegration and long-term survival of dental implants. Bone volume is typically restricted by the presence of the maxillary sinus, inferior alveolar nerve and physiological resorption of alveolar height following loss of teeth. Autogenous bone remains the gold standard graft material. It possesses osteogenic, osteoinductive and osteoconductive properties, whereas allografts have only osteoconductive and possibly inductive properties. Alloplasts are merely osteoconductive. Harvest of the autogenous graft may be performed using traditional burs, saws, discs, trephines, scrapers, socket dilators, osteotomes and piezosurgery. Piezosurgery uses a range of tips that oscillate at ultrasonic frequencies, cutting bone while preserving soft tissue. Perioperative antibiotics such as amoxycillin, co-amoxiclav or clindamycin should be administered enterally or parenterally.
