Amalgamation of Function, Comfort, and Esthetic Dentistry in Patient with Ridge Defect

fabrication or implant placement in a prosthetically ideal position.1 Alveolar ridge defects that result from trauma, tooth extraction, or periodontal diseases often require periodontal-surgical correction before prosthetic treatment. Especially, in the esthetically important anterior arch segments, any surgical endeavor will require implants (osseous buildup) or fixed bridge constructions (soft tissue buildup) for the placement of pontics. Of course, smaller defects, especially the less esthetically sensitive posterior segment, can be remained untreated and/or be covered by a removable prosthesis. If dental implants or fixed bridgeworks are planned, such ridge defects must be carefully evaluated, classified, and corrected if indicated. Any failures or mistakes in any of these procedures will lead to unacceptable structural, functional, and, above all, esthetic compromises. Therefore, a classification of alveolar ridge defects was proposed by Siebert in 1983 and Allen et al14,16 in 1985 representing H as Horizontal defects, V as Vertical defects, and C as Combination defects (Table 1).2,3