The aim of this prospective research was to assess soft tissue morbidity in the symphyseal region after bone graft harvesting. Thirty patients, with average age 45 years, underwent symphyseal bone graft harvesting followed up for a period of 12 months. Follow-up involved neurosensory testing of 2-point discrimination, static light touch, brush directional stroke, pinprick, and thermal discrimination to cold and hot; the statistical analysis was performed using McNemar test and Friedman test with P < 0.05. The results showed that 50% of patients had postoperative morbidity in the first month after surgery showing statistical positive relation with surgery (P < 0.05); at 6 months, this situation diminished to 23%, and at the end of the monitoring period (1 year); the neurosensory tests revealed no persistent morbidity. In conclusion, all neurosensory tests revealed high morbidity in the first month with total resolutions at 1-year follow-up; however, this complication associated to surgery is indispensable to discharge the patient properly.

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The aim of this study was to analyze the survival of dental implants installed in maxillae reconstructed with autogenous iliac crest grafts and to assess patient satisfaction with the treatment by means of a questionnaire. The study conducted medical record reviews and clinical/radiographic assessments of 10 patients with severe maxillary atrophy who had undergone reconstruction with autogenous iliac crest grafts and rehabilitation with dental implants between 2008 and 2011. Patients were assessed for the survival of the implants, considering implant diameter and length, smoking status, diagnosis of diabetes, type of loss, and region of implant loss. In addition, a questionnaire with specific questions on the patients' satisfaction with the treatment was administered. Seventy-six implants were installed in the sampled patients, and only 1 loss was observed (late loss in the anterior maxilla region) after an average follow-up of 7.9 years, which corresponds to a 98.60% survival rate. The installed implants were of the most frequently used dimension (3.75 × 10 mm). One sampled patient was diabetic, and a second patient was both diabetic and a smoker. No loss of implants was observed in these 2 patients. All patients reported being completely satisfied with the treatment and would undergo the procedure again or refer it to a friend/relative. Six patients reported regular maintenance of the prosthesis, and only 3 had changed the prosthesis prior to the time of questionnaire administration. The results of this limited study with a restricted sample population suggest that the reconstruction of the maxilla with an autogenous iliac crest graft provides both adequate implant survival and patient satisfaction.

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