About the Doctoral dissertation

Placement of dental implants in the partial edentulous posterior maxilla 
is often compromised or impossible due to pneumatization of the maxillary sinus and atrophy of the alveolar ridge following loss of teeth. 

Alveolar ridge augmentation is, therefore, frequently necessary to 
achieve sufficient alveolar ridge height for placement of standard length implants. Various surgical techniques and grafting materials 
have throughout the years been used for alveolar ridge augmentation 
of the atrophic posterior maxilla. However, the different types of grafting materials contain dissimilar characteristics and potentials, and evidence-based treatment guidelines for implant-supported prosthetic rehabilitation of the atrophic posterior maxilla are missing.

The aim of this doctoral dissertation is, therefore, to address the most appropriate surgical approach and grafting material for alveolar ridge augmentation of the atrophic posterior maxilla with least patient discomfort and highest implant treatment outcome.

This doctoral dissertation is based on 20 peer-review papers involving 
pre-clinical studies, clinical trials, and systematic reviews assessing 
implant-supported rehabilitation of the atrophic posterior maxilla using 
different surgical approaches and grafting materials.

Overall, alveolar ridge augmentation of the atrophic posterior maxilla 
is associated with high survival of suprastructures and implants, limited 
peri-implant marginal bone loss, endo-sinus bone gain, few complications, and high patient satisfaction, regardless of the used surgical approach or grafting material.

However, this doctoral dissertation indicates that the applied surgical approach and grafting material should be individualized and determined by the residual alveolar ridge height and the planned implant length, since the amount of endo-sinus bone gain is significantly associated with the applied surgical approach, implant protrusion length within the maxillary sinus, and the selected grafting material