Abstract
Bone expansion can be defined as the manipulation of bone to form a receptor site for an implant without the removal of any bone from the patient. The way this technique is used provides a number of advantages to patients. There is a marked decrease in the need to graft ridges, even those as narrow as 1 mm. This results in less surgical time for the surgeon and much less cost to the patient. It also allows for the significant improvement of atrophic arch morphology and interarch relationships for the restorative phases. Soft tissue revisions at the time of implant placement allow for the development of keratinized tissue surrounding the implant, thus saving the patient the morbidity and cost of another surgical procedure. Cortical bone is preserved by not raising the periosteum during the manipulation of bone.
