Folia Morphol. Vol. 65, No. 1, pp. 49–53 Copyright © 2006 Via Medica T E C H N I C A L N O T E ISSN 0015–5659 www.fm.viamedica.pl The morphological and clinical relevance of mandibular and maxillary bone structures for implantation J. Fanghänel1, P. Proff1, S. Dietze1, T. Bayerlein1, F. Mack2, T. Gedrange1 1Clinic for Orthodontics and Preventive and Paediatric Dentistry, University of Greifswald Dental School, Greifswald, Germany 2Clinic for Prosthodontics, Geriatric Dentistry, and Dental Materials, University of Greifswald Dental School, Greifswald, Germany [Received 21 December 2005; Accepted 8 February 2006] Tooth loss, which interrupts the biocybernetic feedback circuit of the masticato- ry system, changes the structures of the jaw bone: such changes are termed “inactivity atrophy”. The mandible is subject to vertical atrophy and the maxilla is primarily subject to horizontal atrophy. The mandible possesses more compact bone, the maxilla more spongy; the resorption directions also differ (mandible: towards the oral aspect; maxilla: towards the vestibular). An implant helps to restore the biocybernetic feedback system. The amount of available bone, bone structure, and topographic conditions are crucial factors influencing implant success. Osseointegration is performed at an early stage (which includes bleed- ing, granulation tissue, foreign-body recognition, interactions) and at a late stage (so-called osseous bridging, development of fibrous and lamellar bone). Key words: inactivity atrophy, maxilla, mandible, endosteal implant INTRODUCTION Implantation areas Given strict indications, careful operative technique The areas of application for implantation in the and exact prosthetic restoration, implantology today oral cavity are: is considered an established treatment option for — edentulous maxilla and mandible; partially dentate and completely edentulous individ- — partially edentulous alveolar arch; uals [1]. Many problems of endosteal implantation — single-tooth prosthesis; for the restoration of masticatory function can be re- — complicated, reduced bone tissue; garded as largely solved. However, the orofacial sys- — aesthetic components. tem must always be taken as an entirety which repre- Of primary concern is the maintenance of bone sents a biocybernetic functional cycle involving the structures, the support of the prosthesis, the stabili- CNS, bones, musculature, temporomandibular joint, sation of the remaining dentition and psychosocial teeth, and periodontium. Alterations to these factors stability. lead to craniomandibular imbalances. Implants are No other bony structure in the organism is as a means of restoring balanced function to this feed- subject to functional alterations as the mandible and back system. Thus the various functions of the oral maxilla. This fact is especially obvious during the pro- cavity are also restored. These include: cesses of ageing as seen in the development of new- — nutrient uptake and processing; born to geriatric skulls (Fig. 1). The edentulous jaw, — function as a sensory organ; the main application area for implants in the oral — verbal and non-verbal expression of all kinds. cavity, has anatomical/topographical consequences: Address for correspondence: Prof. Dr. J. Fanghänel, Department of Orthodontics, Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Rotgerberstr. 8, D-17487 Greifswald, Germany, tel: 0049 3834 867129, fax: 0049 3834 867107, e-mail: [email protected] 49 Folia Morphol., 2006, Vol. 65, No. 1 Figure 1. Ageing of the human skull. — the cavum oris proprium and the vestibule form — medications; a common space; — anaemia; — the tongue volume increases; — blood pressure; — the position of the musculature and therefore also Inflammatory causes: the tonus change. — periodontal disease; In addition, structural changes of the bone are — local inflammatory processes; observed. These include: Processes of jaw atrophy — thinning of the trabecula and corticalis; — enlargement of the medullary cavities; Mandible. The degeneration is primarily a vertical — osteoporotic alterations (influence of diet). atrophication. The alveolar process is smaller than the These processes lead to secondary changes such as: mandibular body, which is the constant part (Fig. 2). — loss of soft-tissue support; The geriatric mandible juts more strongly to the an- — positional alterations of the joint capsules in the terior. Vertical bone loss is greater here than in the temporomandibular joint (dislocation of the dis- maxilla [our unpublished data] (Table 1). In females cus articularis!). these changes are even more pronounced. The mandibular body is wider than the maxillary Causes of jaw atrophy body. This difference is compensated for by the slant In cases of inactivity atrophy the loading stimuli of the alveolar processes. Thus the alveolar process to the bone are lacking. Inactivity atrophy is a com- of the mandible is tilted to the oral and that of the plex of atrophic and resorptive bone alterations. The maxilla to the vestibular aspect. resorption of the (edentulous) alveolar ridge is a multi-factorial process. It cannot solely be attrib- uted to the changed loading situation. The factors involved can be classified as follows: Mechanical factors: — functional factors; — prosthetic factors; — surgical factors; Biological and metabolic factors: — age; — gender; — alimentary factors; — hormone status; — vitamin status; — mineral deficits; Figure 2. Vertical atrophy of the mandibula. 50 J. Fanghänel et al., The morphological and clinical relevance of mandibular and maxillary bone structures for implantation Table 1. Vertical bone reduction after tooth loss Maxilla Mandibula 0–3 years 1.5 mm 3 mm Renewal years 0.1 mm 0.4 mm (average per year) Aside from the mandibular body, which can also exhibit degeneration during ageing, there are struc- tures which are not subject to atrophic alterations [4]: the linea mylohyoidea, linea obliqua, spina mental- is, tori mandibulares and trigona retromolaria. Both the mandibular body and the individual al- veolar walls are trajectorially oriented. Figure 3. Horizontal atrophy of the maxilla. The atrophy of the alveolar process also leads to an alteration in the gonial angle. In newborns the — anastomoses exist between the two canales man- gonial angle is 150°, and in adults 120°. In old age dibulae; the angle approaches the values present in child- — during ageing the position of the foramen man- hood and can even attain 160° or more. This alter- dibulae changes. ation of the angle also affects the trigonum retro- Maxilla molare, which “sinks” into the atrophied bone, thus moving into a close topographic relationship to the The atrophy progresses primarily in the horizon- pars obliqua of the mandibular canal. Therefore, the tal dimension and only slightly vertically. The alveo- trigonum retromolare in atrophied bone cannot be lar process itself, which only provides limited room used as a site for an implant abutment [3, 4]. to the tooth roots, is larger than the maxillary body. This reduces the maxillary arch more markedly. Danger zones for implantation in the mandible Through resorption it becomes smaller in relation to A high position of the mandibular canal, particu- the mandible. In the maxilla the middle of the ridge larly in close proximity to the alveoli in the molar area. is shifted to the palatinal (centripetally) as the atro- The canal contains the A./V. alveolaris inferior and phy increases. Atrophy of the hard palate proceeds the N. alveolaris inferior; it runs downward in the ra- from front to back (Fig. 3). It can become so extreme mus mandibulae and reaches the spongiosa of the that the hard palate is perforated, bringing the mu- mandibular body midway between the lingual and cous membrane of the oral cavity into contact with buccal compacta. The canal is surrounded by com- that of the nasal cavity. pacta and is tube-shaped. The distance of the hori- The alveolar process ends behind the last molars at zontal sections from the floor of the alveoli is 3 to the tuber retromolare. Up to the age of 7 the tuber 4 mm in the area of the third molars and approxi- exists only in an “embryonic” state. The canales alveo- mately 8 mm around the first molars [2, 4]. Canalicu- lares for the Nn. alveolares superiores posteriores are li alveolares regularly emerge vertically from the ca- present only as sulci alveolares. After the age of 20 the nal up into the alveolus. Between the first and sec- tuber is completely formed/differentiated, and the ond premolars the canal turns toward the buccal and canales alveolares are distiguishable. After the age of opens to the exterior as the foramen mentale. During 50 the tuber begins to regress; the canales alveolares ageing atrophy the foramen comes to lie on the alve- open and become sulci alveolares again. These chang- olar ridge in approximately 25% of cases. A short dis- es show that the tuber retromolare is not suitable as tance from the opening of the foramen a small curved a site for implant abutments [4]. In the anterior region canal turns into the middle of the spongiosa cranially of the maxilla many canals are found for the accom- toward the front (the canalis incisivus) with blood modation of vessels and nerves; the canals can also be vessels and nerves for the canines and incisors: sulci which open to the maxillary sinus [2]. — accessory canals, such as the Robinson canal and No atrophic alterations are found on the torus the Serres canal, course through the mandible in palatinus, crista zygomatico