Periodontal disease and tooth loss often leave the patient with an alveolar
ridge that is less than adequate for endosseous implant placement. Alveola
r bone grafting offers a clinically successful treatment option to regain a
ll or some of this lost bone. This article describes the use of a bone bloc
k from the chin for the augmentation of the alveolar ridge. It relates the
clinical techniques to the healing process in an effort to better understan
d the events involved.