BIOMECHANICAL CONSEQUENCES OF EXCESSIVE CROWN HEIGHT SPACE - AN APPRAISAL

Short Communication

Abstract

Excessive crown height space (CHS) conditions usually relate to a CHS that is more than 15 mm. An increased CHS of more than 15 mm is primarily as a result of the vertical loss of alveolar bone due to long-term edentulism. Other causes may include genetics, trauma, and implant failure. Treatment of excessive CHS before dental implant placement mainly consists of orthodontic and/or surgical methods of correction.Orthodontics in cases of partially edentulous patients is the treatment of choice considering other surgical or prosthetic methods are usually more costly and tend to have higher risks of complications. Several surgical techniques of correction of excessive CHS may also be considered. This include block onlay bone grafts, particulate bone grafts with titanium mesh or barrier membranes, interpositional bone grafts, and distraction osteogenesis. A staged approach to reconstruction of the jaws is commonly opted over simultaneous dental implant placement, especially when large bone volume gains are required. Significant vertical bone augmentation may even require multiple surgical procedures to gain sufficient volume of bone and thereby adequate CHS. The International Congress of Oral Implantologists sponsored a consensus conference on the topic of Crown Height Space in Las Vegas, Nevada, 2004. A consensus of one opinion was not developed for most issues. However, general guidelines emerged related to the topic. The current literature review is a discussion on the biomechanical consequences of excessive crown height space.