Crestal ostectomy and lateral wall compression for management of the enlarged pneumatized tuberosity.

The crestal ostectomy with lateral antral wall compression is a simple, predictable procedure to correct soft tissue and osseous hypertrophy in the pneumatized maxillary tuberosity. It offers certain advantages over other techniques: 1) simultaneous reduction of vertical and lateral aspects of the hyperplastic tuberosity; 2) simultaneous revision of hypertrophic or mobile mucosal tissue overlying the tuberosity; 3) avoidance of a horizontal scar band in the buccal vestibule, which may subsequently interfere with the denture flange; 4) negligible effect on the depth of the buccal vestibule; 5) fixation wires are not required; 6) rapid healing of the osteotomy site, since there is intimate bony contact; 7) expedient initiation of denture fabrication is possible because the palatal aspect of the tuberosity is not mobilized; and 8) no surgical stent is necessary.