Aim The aim was to evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of tooth‐supported fixed prostheses in partially edentulous patients with stage IV periodontitis. Material and Methods Randomized and controlled clinical trials (RCTs and CCTs) and prospective/retrospective cohort studies or case series were searched in three databases. Survival rate of abutment teeth was considered the primary outcome. Meta‐analyses were performed whenever possible. Results Twenty‐four publications were included. No RCTs or CCTs compared the efficacy of tooth‐supported fixed prostheses between patients with severe periodontitis or non‐periodontitis patients. Most of the data retrieved were derived from case series. The incidence of abutment‐tooth loss after a follow‐up period from 2 to 35.4 years was low (n = 17 studies; weighted mean incidence (WMI) = 4.8%; confidence interval (CI) [3.2, 6.5]). The corresponding figure for prostheses failure was WMI = 6.9% (n = 18; 95% CI [4.1, 9.7]). Technical complications seemed to be more frequent than biological complications (caries, endodontic failure, root fracture, etc.). Periodontal outcomes tended to remain stable over time. Conclusion Tooth‐supported fixed prostheses seemed to be a valid treatment approach to restore masticatory function in patients with stage IV periodontitis once periodontal therapy has been accomplished. However, the comparative efficacy of this treatment among periodontitis and non‐periodontitis patients is unclear due to the absence of clinical trials.

Results from this study suggested that: (a) bone volume in the areas reconstructed with calvarial grafts was stable over time; (b) survival rates of implants were consistent with those reported for implants placed in native bone; (c) patient's satisfaction was high.

Vertical ridge augmentation techniques have been advocated to enable restoring function and esthetics by means of implant‐supported rehabilitation. There are three major modalities. The first is guided bone regeneration, based on the principle of compartmentalization by means of using a barrier membrane, which has been demonstrated to be technically demanding with regard to soft tissue management. This requisite is also applicable in the case of the second modality of bone block grafts. Nonetheless, space creation and maintenance are provided by the solid nature of the graft. The third modality of distraction osteogenesis is also a valid and faster approach. Nonetheless, owing to this technique's inherent shortcomings, this method is currently deprecated. The purpose of this review is to shed light on the state‐of‐the‐art of the different modalities described for vertical ridge augmentation, including the indications, the step‐by‐step approach, and the effectiveness.

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