Background: The purpose of this study was to compare clinical results of two different horizontal ridge augmentation techniques: guided bone regeneration with sticky bone (SB) and the bone-shell technique (BS). Methods: Records of patients who underwent horizontal ridge augmentation with SB (test) and BS (control) were screened for inclusion. Pre-operative and 6-month post-operative ridge widths were measured on cone beam computer tomography (CBCT) and compared. Post-operative complications and implant survival rate were recorded. Results: Eighty consecutive patients were included in the present study. Post-operative complications (flap dehiscence, and graft infection) occurred in ten patients, who dropped out from the study (12.5% complication rate). Stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a significant inverse correlation between the occurrence of post-operative complications and ridge width (p = 0.025). Seventy patients (35 test; 35 control) with a total of 127 implants were included in the final analysis. Mean ridge width gain was 3.7 ± 1.2 mm in the test and 3.7 ± 1.1 mm in the control group, with no significant difference between the two groups. No implant failure was recorded, with a mean follow-up of 42.7 ± 16.0 months after functional loading. Conclusions: SB and BS showed comparable clinical outcomes in horizontal ridge augmentation, resulting in sufficient crestal width increase to allow implant placement in an adequate bone envelope.

Background: The purpose of this study is to analyze if there is any statistical correlation between the surgery’s complexity (easy to difficult—depending on the anatomical conditions) and the patient’s sex, type of edentulism, and left or right side of the maxilla. Methods: Cone beam computed tomography records of 1192 maxillary sinuses were evaluated, measured, and statistically analyzed with respect to patient sex, type of edentulism, and left or right side, taking into consideration Wen’s proposed sinus septum classification. Results: Our research suggests that most sinus augmentation procedures in patients presenting antral septum fall into the Moderate A category (31.94%) and that there is not a correlation between the surgery’s complexity (easy to difficult) and the patient’s sex, type of edentulism and left or right side of the maxilla. Conclusion: We suggest a minor modification to Wen’s classification in view of the fact that our findings revealed a combination of medio-lateral and antero-posterior septa that we could not classify in one of the existing categories.

Background: The autogenous bone core block (BCB) is a viable, biologically advantageous, and minimally invasive alternative to other augmentation procedures for small bone defects around dental implants. This study focused specifically on horizontal vestibular defects in the mandible, a frequently encountered yet underrepresented clinical situation, to evaluate the effectiveness and predictability of bone core grafting. Methods: Cylindrical autogenous bone cores, harvested from the implant-site osteotomy using trephine drills with a 2.5 internal diameter, were stabilized with osteosynthesis screws, and implants were placed simultaneously. Initial preoperative measurements of the edentulous ridge width were performed based on cone beam computer tomography (CBCT). At 4 months postoperatively, a subsequent CBCT measurement was performed for each implant site. Results: A total of 38 augmentation procedures were analyzed with a mean horizontal bone gain of 1.8 mm (p = 0.000). Improved outcomes were observed in V-shaped defects with remaining vertical bony walls, which contributed to better graft stability and volume preservation. While Khoury et al. previously validated the general applicability of this technique across various defect types, our study refines its indication by offering a clear protocol tailored to a common clinical niche. Conclusions: The proposed BCB method proved to be a safe, efficient, and with reduced morbidity procedure, providing clinicians with a practical and evidence-based tool for predictable horizontal bone augmentation.

Background/Objectives: Pterygoid implants are increasingly used to provide distal support in full-arch maxillary rehabilitation, improving biomechanical stability and reducing posterior cantilevers. Despite high reported survival rates, their placement is technically demanding because of the complex anatomy of the pterygomaxillary region and the proximity of critical neurovascular structures. Implant displacement into adjacent deep anatomical spaces is a rare but potentially serious complication. The aim of this report is to describe the management of sequential intraoperative complications involving pterygoid implants—initial migration into the maxillary sinus followed by displacement into the pterygopalatine fossa—and to analyse the technical factors that contributed to them. Case Description: A 68-year-old woman underwent full-arch maxillary rehabilitation with eight implants, including bilateral pterygoid implants. Both pterygoid implants showed progressively decreasing primary stability and migrated into the maxillary sinus. During a salvage attempt, a newly inserted pterygoid implant deviated and was displaced beyond the pyramidal process into the pterygopalatine fossa together with the insertion driver. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) localized the implant—lying medial to the lateral pterygoid plate, anterior to the pterygoid process—and guided a targeted retrieval based on careful blunt dissection, performed in an outpatient setting without general anesthesia or endoscopic assistance. A correctly positioned pterygoid implant was then placed. The anterior implants (insertion torque > 60 N·cm) were immediately loaded; at four months the right pterygoid implant was uncovered, and the left implant retained in the sinus was retrieved and replaced using a trans-sinus technique with elevation of the Schneiderian membrane. Conclusions: This case highlights the importance of accurate, consistent anatomical localization, complete osteotomy preparation, appropriate implant selection, and controlled, torque-monitored insertion during pterygoid implant placement. It also demonstrates that rare displacement of an implant into a deep anatomical space can be safely managed in an outpatient dental setting by experienced clinicians using a structured, image-guided approach.