Dental implant and alveolar process augmentation structures and method of installation

Prosthetic apparatus for promoting and supporting guided bone tissue regeneration in at least missing or excised portions of the human mandible or maxilla and in bony defects of the mandible or maxilla comprising:

• a) a bone attachment tray formed of tissue-biocompatible metallic sheet material having at least one perforation therethrough for receiving bone screws to affix said tray to stump portions and ridge sections of the mandible or maxilla proximate the missing or excised portions or defects thereof;
• b) one or more tissue-biocompatible metallic post-type dental implants releasably affixed at one end by screw means to the inner surface of said tray and adapted to depend therefrom into the space of said missing or excised portions or bone defects of the mandible or maxilla for incorporation and support in bone tissue regenerated within said tray and said space;
• and
• c) one or more layers of a biologically and chemically inert microporous membrane sheet material affixed to the inner surface of said tray to protect the space thereunder from entry of unwanted bacteria cells and competitive tissues during the healing and bone regeneration period within which said apparatus is attached to said mandible or maxilla.

A method for promoting and supporting guided bone tissue regeneration in at least missing or excised portions of the human mandible or maxilla and in bony defects of the mandible or maxilla and for the incorporation of tooth root replacement implants in said missing or excised portion of the human mandible or maxilla or bony defects thereof comprising:

• a) surgically installing prosthetic apparatus in the space of said missing or excised portions of a human mandible or maxilla or over a bony defect in a human mandible or maxilla, said apparatus comprising:
• a bone attachment tray formed of tissue-biocompatible metallic sheet material having perforations therethrough for receiving bone screws;
• and one or more tissue-biocompatible metallic dental tooth root replacement implants affixed at one end by fasteners to the inner surface of said tray and extending therefrom within the tray;
• b) fastening said prosthetic apparatus by passing bone screws through the perforations and into healthy bone proximate the ends of the space of said missing or excised portions of said mandible or maxilla or proximate the edge portions of the bony defect in said mandible or maxilla;
• c) covering said prosthetic apparatus with a soft tissue flap and maintaining said apparatus in place for the term of an appropriate healing period with the regenerated bone developed within the tray encapsulating and supporting said one or more dental implants affixed to said tray;
• d) surgically opening said soft tissue flap at the end of said healing period to expose said tray and removing the fasteners releasably affixing said implants to said tray;
• e) surgically removing said tray from the regenerated bone developed within the tray;
• and
• f) covering said regenerated bone and said dental implants with said flap for a further healing period.