Guided bone regeneration-assisted bone augmentation and early implant placement protocols: A case report

Dental implants have marked their significance in successfully restoring the normal contour, function, esthetics, and health of a patient, whereas this has drastically enhanced the acceptance of dental implants as a successful treatment modality by the patients. The deficiency of the remaining supporting bone volume, although, is considered to be the primary concern in certain situations, whereas a possible solution to this problem lies in re-establishing the ridge volume consistent with the prosthetic design with a suitable load-bearing lamellar bone for long-term stability of implants. In similar context, use of autologous grafts has exhibited the highest success rates with autogenous bone grafts being considered the gold standard because of their inherent osteogenic, osteoinductive, and osteoconductive properties. The present clinical case study describes the case of a 45-year-old male patient who reported seeking treatment for his missing right maxillary central incisor which he had lost as a result of trauma. The radiographic examination in the associated region revealed a severe vertical labial bone defect wherein the amount of bone available was found unsuitable to support the implant. The case was eventually managed with vertical and horizontal bone augmentation procedures performed with guided bone regeneration in the involved region with simultaneous endosseous implant placement.