BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study is to perform a systematic review of the literature on the use of titanium grids for implant surgery before and simultaneously with implant placement and to assess the success rate of the procedure, as well as survival and success rates of implants placed in the regenerated areas. METHODS: Medline was used to identify studies in English published from 1996 to 2011. An additional hand search was performed of the relevant journals and of the bibliographies of the papers identified. Articles retrieved by two independent authors were screened using specific inclusion criteria: randomized controlled trials (RCTs), controlled clinical trials, and prospective clinical studies regarding vertical and/or horizontal regeneration of the alveolar ridge using titanium grids, in association or not with biomaterials, before and simultaneously with implant placement. RESULTS: Six articles were selected, including a total of 79 patients, 87 titanium grids, and 141 implants. Twenty-four implants were placed simultaneously with titanium grids, and 117 implants were inserted after a period of 4 to 9 months. Titanium grids in combination with autogenous bone were used in 43 cases, 25 in combination with a mixture of autogenous bone and bone substitutes, 14 in association with bone substitutes, five using only titanium grids. The overall success rate of the regenerative procedures was 98.86%; the overall survival and success rates of implants were 100% and 93.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The main limit of the present systematic review is the scarcity of papers with an adequate and consistent methodology regarding the data collection and analysis and the lack of RCTs and large well-designed long-term trials. Survival and success rates of implants placed in the areas treated with titanium grids were comparable to those of implants placed in native, non-regenerated bone and of implants placed in bone regenerated with resorbable and non-resorbable membranes.
BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study is to perform a systematic review of the literature on the use of titanium grids for implant surgery before and simultaneously with implant placement and to assess the success rate of the procedure, as well as survival and success rates of implants placed in the regenerated areas. METHODS: Medline was used to identify studies in English published from 1996 to 2011. An additional hand search was performed of the relevant journals and of the bibliographies of the papers identified. Articles retrieved by two independent authors were screened using specific inclusion criteria: randomized controlled trials (RCTs), controlled clinical trials, and prospective clinical studies regarding vertical and/or horizontal regeneration of the alveolar ridge using titanium grids, in association or not with biomaterials, before and simultaneously with implant placement. RESULTS: Six articles were selected, including a total of 79 patients, 87 titanium grids, and 141 implants. Twenty-four implants were placed simultaneously with titanium grids, and 117 implants were inserted after a period of 4 to 9 months. Titanium grids in combination with autogenous bone were used in 43 cases, 25 in combination with a mixture of autogenous bone and bone substitutes, 14 in association with bone substitutes, five using only titanium grids. The overall success rate of the regenerative procedures was 98.86%; the overall survival and success rates of implants were 100% and 93.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The main limit of the present systematic review is the scarcity of papers with an adequate and consistent methodology regarding the data collection and analysis and the lack of RCTs and large well-designed long-term trials. Survival and success rates of implants placed in the areas treated with titanium grids were comparable to those of implants placed in native, non-regenerated bone and of implants placed in bone regenerated with resorbable and non-resorbable membranes.