Özet:

Introduction: Tooth loss causes important changes in the alveolar crest by means of resorption, atrophy and bone formation. This study aims to analyse the remodeling pattern of the alveolar crest following tooth extraction by means of CBCT. Materials and methods: Fifty CBCT full arch scans were analysed, 25 for the mandible and 25 for the maxilla. They belonged to 40 partially edentulous patients, 22 women and 18 men. The edentulous alveolar ridge was compared to the dentate site on the opposite side of the arch in curved slice mode. Horizontal and vertical measurements were recorded. Results and discussions: In the maxilla, the mean reduction of the bony crest was 2 mm horizontally and 3.2 mm vertically. In the mandible, the mean values were 2.9 mm in width and 3.4 mm in height. Women displayed higher values of bone loss as compared to men. A limited number of missing teeth leads to small dimensional changes, whereas 4 or more missing consecutive teeth may cause a massive collapse of the alveolar crest. Free-end edentulous sites lose more bone than interleaved ones. The prosthetic status plays an important role in ridge remodeling, with removable restorations causing the greatest collapse of the alveolar crest and the implants the least bone loss. Conclusions: Following tooth extraction, ridge remodeling affects the buccal plate and the vertical dimension of the alveolar crest. Several physiologic variables and local clinical aspects influence the bone loss.

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