Biomaterials in Dentistry—Implantology and Guided Bone Regeneration

Abstract

The use of biomaterials and implant therapy in dentistry is becoming a more popular and acceptable procedure for the replacement of both single and multiple teeth. Procedures have evolved for maintaining and regenerating bone to provide an optimal environment for subsequent implant placement. Both guided bone regeneration and implantology have applications in dentistry for increasing the width and height of the alveolar ridge in areas with insufficient alveolar bone in jaws, as well as repairing and maintaining bone defects around the teeth. The application of these techniques involves the use of a wide range of materials, including autogenous bone grafts, allografts, xenografts, alloplasts, bone-promoting factors, resorbable/nonresorbable barrier membranes, and implants used either alone or in a variety of combinations. The methods of guided bone regeneration utilize biological materials or synthetic specimens. Furthermore, insight into the future development of membrane fabrication, as well as platelet-rich fibrin membranes, will strongly influence the development of guided bone regeneration. This article describes a series of six patients treated with guided bone regeneration using bovine bone mineral, a resorbable collagen membrane, a growth factor, platelet-rich plasma, and an implant placed with a minimum follow-up period of eighteen months.