Periodontal regeneration with bioresorbable membranes

A critical point for the success of guided tissue regeneration is the rate of degradation of the bioresorbable membrane. An ideal bioresorbable membrane must allow selective repopulation of the root surface by cells from the periodontal ligament before it is degraded and replaced by the healing connective tissues of the periodontium. Freeze-dried dura mater, microfibrillar collagen, bovine type I collagen, human type I collagen, polylactic acid, and polyglactin 910 have been used in clinical human studies. Microfibrillar collagen did not form an effective barrier to epithelial migration. Freeze-dried dura mater has shown limited improvement in the treatment of proximal infrabony defects and equal results to expanded polytetrafluorothylene in the treatment of mandibular class II furcations. Cross-linked type I collagen and polylactic acid have shown significant improvement in the treatment of proximal infrabony lesions and class II furcations. More clinical studies done by independent investigators are needed to support the value of these bioresorbable materials in the regeneration of the periodontal tissues.