Alveolar distraction osteogenesis: is the process improvable?

Bone processes of Alveolar Distraction Osteogenesis (ADO) were studied to optimize the implanto-prosthetic rehabilitation. ADO was applied on 11 patients with ridge deformities. Clinical and radiological evaluations, and morphological (histology, histochemistry, microradiography) studies were performed during the following 12 weeks. Ossification starts at 40 days after the end of distraction. Sixty days after the end of distraction, soft callus was widely converted into a network of trabecular woven bone and high osteogenic activity (TBV about 50%). Osteoclast resorption reduces the bone amount (TBV about 37%) though there was a more ordered bone structure 88 days. Densitometric assay shows increasing values since the end of the distraction. The results suggest the possibility of avoiding bone loss due to mechanical unloading through an early implant insertion ISI WOS:000172402500019 IDS Number: BT24C