Endosseous blade implants 499

will dramatically demonstrate that whereas knife-edge ridges were formerly contraindicated for implant procedures, they can now be utilized for the blade implants.

The woman had a poorly functioning removable prosthesis for many years (Fig. 11-117). Only the two teeth remaining in the upper arch, which were the second molars on each side, supported the denture

Fig. 11-121. Once the thick tissues were retracted, the degree of knife-like resorption was evident.

Fig. 11-122. These close-ups of the lateral views of the ridge are characteristic examples of why it is important to expose the bone before implant insertion.

(Fig. 11-118). These were prepared for full crown restorations, maintaining the same vertical dimension with temporary crown forms placed over them (Fig. 11-119).

At the next visit, two metal cast copings were tried over the molars for fit and accuracy. These were then removed and the operation proceeded. The maxilla was anesthetized by infiltration anesthesia on the labial, buccal, and palatal surfaces, using lidocaine (Xylocaine) 1:100,000. An incision was made along the crest of the soft tissue ridge from the mesial proximal surface of each of the two molar teeth (Fig. 11-120). The tissues covering the buccal, labial, and palatal surfaces of the bone were reflected

Fig. 11-123. Approximately 3 mm. of the ridge was reduced to widen the occlusal table.

Fig. 11-124. Grooves were made in the flattened ridges.