The use of guided tissue regeneration to improve implant osseointegration.

This prospective clinical study was designed to examine the use of guided tissue regeneration for the bony augmentation of alveolar bone around, or in preparation for, titanium endosseous implants. Sixty-three expanded polytetrafluorethylene membranes were used in 40 patients for various indications relating to implant placement. All of the membranes were subsequently removed. Postoperative infections were noted in nine membranes (14%), and dehiscence with exposure of the membrane to the oral cavity occurred in nine membranes (14%). Forty-five of the augmentations (71%) healed uneventfully and the membranes were removed at an average of 4.5 months. Sixty-one of the augmentations (96.8%) were found to be successful as determined by the clinical success of the implants and the presence of bone where there had been an osseous defect. Two cases (3.2%) were unsuccessful. Both of these were complicated by infection. The results indicate that guided tissue regeneration is a predictable method of augmenting the bone around titanium endosseous implants. Although the early complication rate was relatively high, the long-term success of the augmentation usually is not affected.