Comparative Evaluation of Resorbable (Pericardium) Versus Non Resorbable (Polytetrafluoroethylene) Membrane for Horizontal Bone Augmentation of Posterior Atrophic Mandible

Lack of adequate bone for implant placement due to a previous history of periodontal disease, traumatic tooth extraction, or bone loss from prolonged use of a removable prothesis, is a common challenge in implant dentistry . Bone loss after tooth extraction has been reported to range between 40% and 60% during the first 3 years, and thereafter it is estimated to range between 0.25% and 0.5% annually .

Alveolar atrophy refers to the pathological condition where there is moderate to severe resorption of alveolar bone due to tooth loss . When teeth are lost, the functional stimulus for the alveolar bone is also lost, leading to predictable bone resorption The pattern of resorption varies based on location, where in the mandible, alveolar bone resorption is primarily horizontal, while in the interforaminal regions, it tends to be centripetal and in retroforaminal areas, the resorption is vertical and centrifugal. The presence of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) further complicates treatment in the posterior regions of the mandible when using Osseo integrated implants. These challenges necessitate careful planning and consideration during implant placement to achieve successful outcomes.

Various methods are employed to regenerate bone in areas with deficiencies, including using autogenous or allogeneic block grafts (cortical, cancellous, or cortico-cancellous), ridge splitting techniques, distraction osteogenesis, orthodontic tooth movement, and guided bone regeneration (GBR) with or without additional filler materials.

Numerous materials have been utilized for bone regeneration, with ongoing research in this field to address bone defects. Particularly in the context of widespread implant usage, various options such as autogenous bone, allogeneic bone, and synthetic bone have been employed to treat oral and maxillofacial bone defects . Although fresh autogenous bone yields optimal regeneration results due to its osteoinductive and osteoconductive properties, it comes with drawbacks like pain and edema from donor site injury, limited harvest volume, and high graft resorption rates. Consequently, allogeneic bone graft materials, lacking inherent bone regenerative capacity but obviating the need for an additional donor site, have gained significant use. However, due to their source from other individuals, these tissues may provoke an immune response in recipient tissues, posing a potential antigenic challenge.

Barrier membranes play a crucial role in guided bone regeneration (GBR), with various types being utilized resorbable (pericardium collagen …) and non-resorbable membrane. (e-PTFE,d-PTFE….).