The Bone Lid Technique in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: A Scoping Review

Abstract

This scoping review aimed at reporting the outcomes of the bone lid technique in oral surgery in terms of bone healing, ridge preservation, and incidence of complications. Bone-cutting instruments and stabilization methods were also considered. PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials were searched using a combination of terms, including bone lid, bony window, piezosurgery, microsaw, cysts, endodontic surgery, impacted teeth, and maxillary sinus. A hand search was also performed. The last search was conducted on 30 November 2021. No date limitation was set. Searches were restricted to human clinical studies published in English. All types of study design were considered except reviews and case reports. After a two-step evaluation, 20 (2 randomized studies, 2 case-control studies, 3 cohort studies, 13 case series) out of 647 screened studies were included, reporting on 752 bone lid procedures. The bone lid technique was associated with favorable bone healing when compared to other methods, and with a very low incidence of major complications. Clinical indications, surgical procedures, study design, follow-up duration, and outcomes varied among the studies. Overall, favorable outcomes were reported using the bone lid approach, though evidence-based studies were scarce.

The bone lid technique in lateral sinus lift: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…The lid could be stabilized with additional fixation devices, such as mini-plates and mini-screws, if needed. In a recent scoping review, a correlation between the fixation method and the risk of bone lid resorption and necrosis could not be determined [20]. Independently of the fixation, the reported rate of these complications was approximately 2.5% [20].…”