Istvan Urban: Vertical ridge augmentation. Established treatment techniques and materials.

Vertical augmentation presents one of the greatest challenges of bone regeneration in implant dentistry. Patient selection, patient preparation for surgery, precise surgical techniques and postoperative management are the key factors in reducing the rate of bone graft complications.

An important factor is flap closure during bone augmentation. In an attempt to achieve wound closure and hence graft stability, the buccal mucosa are often broadly released and, this often results in a severe apical translocation of the mucogingival line, loss of vestibule and keratinized mucosa (KM).

Recent research on vertical ridge augmentation, crestal bone preservation using TiUnite implants as well as soft tissue reconstruction after ridge augmentation will be presented.

Dr. Istvan Urban received his DMD degree and subsequently his MD degree from Semmelweis University School of Medicine and Dentistry in Budapest, Hungary in 1991 and 1996. He completed a full-time program in oral surgery at St. Istvan Hospital in Budapest between 1992 and1996. He completed his internship program in Periodontics at UCLA. After he graduated from the fellowship program in implant dentistry at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California, he was appointed Assistant Professor the following year. Dr. Urban teaches implant dentistry in the graduate program at Loma Linda University. He is licensed in the state of California (US) and has a private practice in Budapest, Hungary. Dr. Urban received his PhD degree in periodontology in 2012 at the University of Szeged, Hungary. He is currently an honorary professor at the University of Szeged. Dr. Urban is a board member of the Osteology Foundation and has published scientific articles and text book chapters on bone regeneration and soft tissue reconstructive surgery around dental implants.