Background: Post-extraction alveolar ridge resorption is unavoidable phenomenon ending with insufficient ridge width. Measuring the physical dimensions of the available bone before implant surgery is an important aspect of diagnosis and treatment planning. Bone height can be calculated from radiographs, while bucco-lingual ridge width can be measured by conventional tomography, CT scanning and ridge mapping.

Radiographic techniques have certain disadvantages. Therefore the ridge mapping technique was used as an option for determining alveolar ridge width.

The purpose of this study was to compare the validity of alveolar ridge width measurements obtained with ridge mapping technique before surgical flap reflection against direct caliper measurement following surgical exposure of the bone.

Materials and Methods: This prospective observational clinical study included 21 patients; 9 males (42.9%) and 12 females (57.1%) with mean age of 40.8. A vacuum formed acrylic stent was fabricated for each subject. The stent provided two buccal/lingual pairs of consistent measurement points to provide a reference of measurement for each implant site located 3 and 6 mm from the crest of alveolar soft tissue. Measurements (n=216) were made at 54 implant sites, the measurements obtained from the two techniques were compared and then accuracy of these methods was assessed. The mean, standard deviation, standard error of mean were calculated and subjected to statistical analysis using Student’s unpaired t- test, values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: There was no statistically significant difference between ridge mapping technique and intra-operative measurement in determining alveolar ridge width.

Conclusion: The ridge mapping technique is a useful method in determining alveolar ridge width for its exactitude, low cost, the immediate result and no need of radiation.