Titanium-Reinforced PTFE Membranes for Bone Augmentation

This prospective comparative case series investigated the clinical and radiographic performance of two non-resorbable barrier membranes used for guided bone regeneration (GBR): titanium-reinforced dense PTFE (TiR-dPTFE) and reinforced PTFE mesh (RPM). Fourteen patients presenting alveolar ridge defects requiring vertical and/or horizontal augmentation prior to implant placement were consecutively enrolled. A total of 46 defect sites were treated using autogenous bone mixed with anorganic bovine bone mineral and covered with either TiR-dPTFE or RPM membranes. Vertical bone gain (VBG) and horizontal bone gain (HBG) were measured on standardized CBCT cross-sections at baseline, 9 months, and 12 months. Histological evaluation of regenerated bone was performed in selected cases at re-entry. Adverse events and healing outcomes were recorded throughout follow-up. The study aimed to compare dimensional bone regeneration outcomes and safety between the two GBR approaches.