Background: Various conditions may lead to bony deficiency in the anterior maxilla. The present study evaluated esthetic (PES-pink esthetic score and WES-white esthetic score) results after augmentation of the anterior atrophic maxilla using cancellous bone-block allograft followed by implant placement and late (conventional) loading.
Methods: Cohort study that included 33 patients with missing teeth in the upper anterior region characterized by extensive bone loss. Allogeneic cancellous bone-blocks were used for augmentation. Six months later, a dental implant was inserted. After a waiting time of an additional six-months, implant exposure and reconstruction were performed. The mean follow-up period was 62.93 ± 17.37 months (range 19-82 months).
Results: The mean value of PES/WES was 17.8 ± 2.78. All patients had a PES/WES value above 12 (threshold value defined as clinically acceptable esthetics). The mean value of PES was 9.0 ± 1.79 and the mean value of WES was 8.8 ±1.84.
Conclusions: Bone augmentation of the anterior atrophic maxilla using cancellous block-allograft and late loading supports achievement of a predictable esthetic result with long-term stability of soft and hard tissues around implant-supported reconstructions.
Keywords: allograft; bone-block; esthetics.