The influence of self-inflating soft tissue expander on the outcomes of horizontal alveolar ridge augmentation: A randomized controlled clinical and histological study.

Objective: The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of soft tissue augmentation using a self-inflating soft tissue expander when performed before horizontal alveolar ridge augmentation on the outcomes of the bone augmentation procedure. The primary outcome is the bucco-palatal radiographical changes in alveolar ridge width, while the secondary outcome is the quality of the augmented bone assessed histomorphometrically.

Materials And Methods: Sixteen patients underwent horizontal alveolar ridge augmentation using autogenous bone.