Osseointegration of subperiosteal implant via guided tissue regeneration. A pilot study.

The principle of guided tissue regeneration was applied in an attempt to generate bone to cover a subperiosteal implant. Titanium frame works, casted on individual impressions of the anterior surface of the tibia of 4 Copenhagen White rabbits, were stabilized to the tibia by microscrews, and half of them were covered by an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene augmentation membrane. The observation period was 12 weeks. Guided bone regeneration partly covering the implants was seen at all experimental sides; on the control sides the implants were mainly embedded in fibrous tissue. Studies are in progress with the aim of reducing marked marrow space formation observed in all the regenerated areas.