Clinical Evaluation of Vertical Ridge AugmentationUsing Titanium Reinforced PTFE membrane

Purpose: This study reports four cases of vertical ridge augmentation using titanium reinforced Polytetrafluoroethylene (TR-PTFE) membranes.Material and Methods: Bone augmentation was performed using TR-PTFE membranes in four patients with a vertical bony defect (mean 6.5 ± 0.58 mm) who was scheduled to receive dental implants at the Department of Periodontology, Veterans Health Service Medical Center between January and December 2016. Vertical bony defects were measured intraoperatively using a probe and the exposure of membranes were assessed before and after suture removal and one month after the surgery. The gained area from the reoperation as well as the need for additional bone grafting during implant placement was assessed.Results: The exposure was maintained without inflammation in one site. Placing an implant led to an average of 5.25 ± 0.5 mm vertical augmentation, and none of the cases required additional bone transplantation. A total of ten implants were installed in 4 cases. Over at least 1-year of follow-up, all implants were functioned well.Conclusion: In this case study, bone augmentation using TR-PTFE membranes. led to satisfactory bone regeneration in defective areas with vertical bone resorption. In addition to a greater number of cases, histological assessments should be performed in the future to further substantiate these findings.