Horizontal Ridge Augmentation Using Sausage Technique: A Retrospective Study

Kocaeli University23 enrolled

Overview

This retrospective study investigates the outcomes of the sausage technique, a contemporary modification of guided bone regeneration (GBR), for the augmentation of severely horizontally deficient alveolar ridges (\<4 mm width). The technique, originally introduced by Urban and colleagues, uses multiple fixation pins to enhance membrane stability and maintain graft volume through a tension dome effect. In this study, a total of 23 patients underwent horizontal ridge augmentation using the sausage technique, with bone measurements assessed at 2, 4, and 6 mm apical to the crest using CBCT imaging at preoperative (T0), early postoperative (T1), and late postoperative (T2) stages. The study quantitatively analyzed both horizontal bone gain (T2-T0) and bone resorption (T1-T2) during the healing period.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

Conditions

Alveolar Bone Grafting Guided Bone Regeneration Bone Gain

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with knife-edge alveolar ridges, classified as Class IV according to the Cawood and Howell classification, who underwent ridge augmentation using the sausage technique * Patients aged 18 or older with fully developed bone * Patients who had regular clinical and radiographic follow-up after the procedure, with a minimum follow-up period of six months Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with systemic conditions (such as osteoporosis, cancer, immunosuppression, hyperparathyroidism, or hyperthyroidism) or a history of medications (including intravenous or oral bisphosphonates, immunosuppressants, or chemotherapy) that could interfere with bone healing * Patients with a history of radiotherapy to the head or neck region * Patients classified as ASA III or ASA IV * Patients who were active smokers at the time of surgery * Patients whose pre- or postoperative CBCT scans were of low image quality or affected by artefacts

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Amount of horizontal bone gain postoperatively

Time frame: Within1 week after the collection of patient data

Amount of horizontal bone resorption postoperatively

Time frame: Within 5 to 7 months postoperatively

Amount of vertical bone resorption postoperatively