Exposure of Barriers Used in GBR: Rate, Timing, Management, And Its Effect on Grafted Bone. A Retrospective Analysis
The purpose of this study is to compare exposure rate of three different barrier types after a guided-bone regenerationprocedure, as well as to compare the percentage grafted bone dimensional loss with and without exposed barriers. Patient records from September 2007 to May 2015 were reviewed to identify subjects that had received bone graft and then implant placement procedure after the graft is completely healed. The subjects were divided into 3 groups: 1) resorbable barrier 2) non-resorbable barrier, and 3) titanium-mesh barrier. Incidences of barrier exposure were recorded. Cone-beam computed tomography images before treatment (T0), right after grafting (T1), and after healing (T2) were used to determine percentage grafted bone dimensional loss (%) and quantitative grafted bone remained (mm 2 ). Three cross-sectioned areas, at 1mm apart, of preplanned implant positions at the grafted site were measured on cone-beam computed tomography to calculate for grafted bone remained and grafted bone dimensional change. The exposure rate of all guided bone regeneration was 36.9%. Exposure rate of resorbable barrier (23.3%) is significantly lower than Titanium mesh (68.9%) and Non-resorbable (72.7%) (Chi-Square, P < .001). The result from this study revealed that barrier types have significant effect on exposure rate. There was also a significant different in grafted bone dimensional loss in sites with barrier exposure (58.3%) and sites with no barrier exposure (44.1%) during the healing period (Mann-Whitney U, P = .008).