Devices for dentoalveolar regeneration: an up-to-date literature review.

Regeneration of periodontal and alveolar ridge defects utilizing barrier membranes has become well established in clinical dentoalveolar reconstruction. Application of this technique has evolved from the concept of separating tissues during healing to that of providing a healing environment capable of regeneration of functional structures. The biomaterial characteristics and design of membranes employed in this technique play an important role in establishing and maintaining this environment. Barrier membranes must incorporate specific features that address the biological, mechanical, and clinical use requirements involved in regenerative treatment. Although nondegradable materials require a second surgical procedure for removal, these materials simplify certain aspects of development, production, and clinical regenerative treatment for some applications. Degradable materials introduce specific considerations and limitations regarding material selection, design, and clinical application. The progressive breakdown of degradable membranes results in dynamic changes in the mechanical and biocompatibility profiles of these materials. With present technology, these factors may limit use of degradable materials to specific applications. Membrane materials, therefore, should be selected based on a thorough understanding of the benefits and limitations inherent to the material(s) in relation to the functional requirements of specific clinical applications.