20. Aesthetics

In situations of advanced bone resorption, it is necessary to discuss with the patient whether the treatment should consist solely of replacing the missing teeth or whether additional measures should be taken to compensate for the missing bone volume along the ridge. Such augmentative techniques are expensive and time-consuming. The spectrum of applicable techniques ranges from relatively simple procedures based on extraneous grafting materials up to extensive surgical protocols in which autologous bone is harvested from the hip (iliac bone) or cranium (parietal bone). Osseodistraction is another technique to modify the shape of bone structures.