Objective: To evaluate the role of statin (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor) when combined with autogenous bone for ridge augmentation.

Material and methods: In 10 patients suffering from horizontal and vertical bone atrophy of the edentulous anterior maxilla. Horizontal augmentation was done by horizontal osteotomy with the interposition of corticocancellous bone block in the form of a ‘sandwich’ which was harvested from the symphysis while the vertical augmentation was done by onlay bone graft harvested from ramus area and placed on the buccal side of the defect then fixed with titanium osteosynthesis screws. In five patients simvastatin was prepared for local application use and applied to the augmented site. The other five patients augmented by autogenous bone alone and used as a control group. Length and width measurements were performed pre and postoperative through Multi-Slice CT scans. The density and the changes in graft volume were also evaluated postoperatively. At re-entry six months postoperatively, core biopsies where obtained by trephine bur during implant bed preparations for histological analysis.

Results: Statin group demonstrated higher bone quality, less graft volume reduction, marked increase in ridge density and dimensions compared to that of the control group.

Conclusion: This study suggests a new method for bone augmentation and encourages further investigations as it has been found that the use of simvastatin accelerate bone graft healing, maturation, maintained its volume to a great extent and decreased its resorption. It also increases the density of the graft compared to a native bone or autogenous bone graft.

Conflict of interest: None declared.