Bone Ring Grafts Versus Non-Resorbable Membrane GBR for Vertical Ridge Augmentation: A Prospective Cohort Study

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral Surgery
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Vertical alveolar bone defects present a significant challenge for dental implant placement.
• Advanced bone augmentation techniques are crucial for successful rehabilitation of atrophic mandibles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare short-term vertical bone gain between the bone-ring graft technique and guided bone regeneration (GBR) using a non-resorbable membrane.
• To evaluate the incidence of complications associated with each technique in patients with vertical alveolar deficiencies.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study included 30 patients with posterior mandibular vertical bone defects (≥4 mm).
• Group A: bone ring with collagen membrane. Group B: allogeneic bone grafts with dense polytetrafluoroethylene (d-PTFE) membranes.
• Radiographic evaluation using CBCT and periapical radiographs assessed vertical bone height gain at multiple postoperative intervals.

Main Results:

• The bone-ring graft technique (Group A) achieved significantly greater vertical bone gain (9.1-10.6 mm) versus GBR (Group B) (6.9-7.8 mm) at all follow-up points (p < 0.0001).
• Membrane exposure was significantly more frequent in the GBR group (Group B) (p ≤ 0.02).
• No significant differences were found in plaque index, swelling, or infection rates between the groups.

Conclusions:

• The bone-ring graft technique demonstrates superior efficacy in achieving vertical bone gain for alveolar ridge augmentation.
• GBR with non-resorbable membranes resulted in a higher rate of membrane exposure.
• Further long-term studies are warranted to validate these short-term findings.