Expanded vs. dense polytetrafluoroethylene membranes in vertical ridge augmentation around dental implants: a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial

Clin Oral Implants Res. 2014 Jul;25(7):859-66. doi: 10.1111/clr.12157. Epub 2013 Apr 8.

Abstract

Objective: This prospective randomized controlled trial was designed to test the performance of titanium-reinforced dense polytetrafluoroethylene (d-PTFE) membrane vs. titanium-reinforced expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) membrane in achieving vertical bone regeneration, both associated with a composite grafting material.

Material and methods: The study enrolled 23 patients requiring bone augmentation with guided bone regeneration (GBR) procedures for placing implants in atrophic posterior mandibles (available bone height <7 mm). Implants were inserted and left to protrude from the bone level to achieve the programmed amount of vertical regeneration. Defects were filled with a composite bone graft (50% autologous bone and 50% mineralized bone allograft) and randomly covered with either an e-PTFE membrane (control) or a d-PTFE membrane (test). Membrane removal was performed after 6 months, and changes in bone height were recorded.

Results: Seventy-eight implants were inserted in 26 mandibular sites contextually to vertical ridge augmentation procedures. The healing period was uneventful in all sites, and the vertical defects were satisfactorily filled with a newly formed hard tissue. Mean defect fill after 6 months was 5.49 mm (SD ± 1.58) at test sites and 4.91 mm (SD ± 1.78) at control sites. The normalized data (percentage changes against baseline) did not show any statistically significant difference between test and control groups (P = NS).

Conclusions: Based on the data from this study, both d-PTFE and e-PTFE membranes showed identical clinical results in the treatment of vertical bone defects around implants, using the GBR technique. The membrane removal procedure was easier to perform in the d-PTFE group than in the e-PTFE group.

Keywords: biomaterials; bone regeneration; clinical research; clinical trials; guided tissue regeneration.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Alveolar Ridge Augmentation / methods*
  • Bone Regeneration / physiology*
  • Dental Implantation, Endosseous / methods*
  • Dental Implants*
  • Female
  • Guided Tissue Regeneration, Periodontal / methods*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mandible / surgery
  • Membranes, Artificial*
  • Middle Aged
  • Polytetrafluoroethylene*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Titanium
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Dental Implants
  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Polytetrafluoroethylene
  • Titanium