Objective: Osteotome technique is indicated to elevate maxillary sinus floor when a limited vertical height is available for implant placement. It also helps compress and increase the amount of surface contact between alveolar bone and implant. The aim of this study is to determine the gain in vertical height during implant placement at posterior part of maxilla by osteotome technique.

Material and Methods: 40 patients (21 male, 19 female; mean 47 +/- 9 yrs. old) who received total of 75 dental implants at posterior segment of the upper jaw, were included into this study. Osteotome technique were used during surgery for all the implants. Mean alveolar height prior to surgery was 9.7 +/- 2.6 mm. Mean time in function prior to radiographic examination was 16.6 +/- 7 months. Panoramic films were scanned and analyzed by using a commercially available computer software. The length of the implants were used for the standardization.

Results: The use of osteotome technique allowed a mean gain of 3.74 +/- 1.8 mm in where the initial alveolar bone height was <9 mm (mean 6.96 +/- 1.3 mm). This, in turn, made possible to place implants with a mean length of 12.9 +/- 2.1 mm (total of 27 implants). At locations where minimum of 9 mm initial bone height was present (mean 11.2 +/- 1.6 mm), 48 implants were placed with 13.9 +/- 1.4 mm mean length and 2.7 +/- 1.3 mm apical penetration. All of the implants were osseointegrated at the end of 6 months healing period.

Conclusion: Osteotome technique can be successfully used to eliminate some of the limitations present at the posterior part of maxilla. It is possible to obtain a gain of approximately 3 to 4 mm in alveolar height with this technique.

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