Biomechanical comparison of novel engine driven ridge spreader and conventional ridge splitting techniques

Abstract

Purpose The ridge splitting technique is used to create space in the narrow alveolar ridge for implant placement. Two different kinds of spreaders are available: conventional technique with chisels, which require the help of a mallet to fracture the alveolar crest, and ridge spreaders, which do not need a mallet because they are manually or electrically screwed in place. However, there is very little information available with regard to the mechanical measurements of expansion force and frictional torque. The aim of this study was to determine the force, torque, and acceleration produced by conventional ridge splitting technique and a ridge spreader during the ridge splitting procedure in a pig mandible.

Materials and methods In fourty pigs, the space between mandibular premolars was selected for the ridge splitting procedure. After vertical and horizontal osteotomies, mid-crestal osteotomy was conducted to a length and depth of 6 mm using a micro-saw and a carbide bur. In the conventional ridge splitting procedure using a chisel (control group, n = 10), the percussive impulse (Newton second, N·s) was measured using a sensor attached to the mallet. In the ridge spreader group (test group, n = 10), a load cell was used to measure torque values (Newton centimeter, N·cm). Horizontal acceleration generated during either procedure (control group, n = 10 and test group, n = 10) was also recorded. All mechanical and clinical values were assessed at 10 mm depth during the ridge splitting procedure.

Results After ridge splitting, the width of alveolar crest was statistically significantly increased in the control (1.23 ± 0.45 mm) and the test (0.98 ± 0.41 mm) groups (P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference between the groups (P > 0.05). The average impulse of the control group was 2.91 ± 2.19 N·s. Torque generated by the rotation of the test group was 7.01 ± 4.09 N·cm. The horizontal acceleration value was statistically significantly less in the test group (0.82 ± 1.05 g) compared to the control group (64.07 ± 42.62 g) (P < 0.005).

Conclusions Narrow edentulous ridges can be successfully expanded by novel engine driven ridge spreader. Within the limits of this study, it is suggested that this engine driven ridge splitting technique may be less traumatic and less invasive compared with the conventional ridge splitting technique.