Bioabsorbable membranes – the secret of their demand

Barrier membranes – a modern high-tech medical material, any bone augmentation surgery can not be performed without it not only in dental implant procedure and dentistry but in medicine in general.  They are also widely used in dentistry, beginning from the flap surgery in periodontology and including jawbone augmentation of any volume if there is a deficiency of it for dental implants. It makes possible to use different techniques of dental implant procedure and solve any problems of restorative implant dentistry.

The use of barrier or protective membranes, due to their properties, not only restrict and form  the direction  of new bone growth, but also stimulate the regeneration process, i.e. the acceleration of division and  growth of new bone cells enables to make the process of  osteoplasty quick and controlled. Protective membranes are of two types: non-resorbable and resorbable. They differ by the fact that the first type consists of a material that does not resolve after the membrane insertion and then it should be removed surgically, and the second type, on the contrary, having fulfilled its function, resolves as the membranes made from a biological material and it is not necessary to remove them after osteoplasty. What kinds of material are they made of? Can we consider that the bioresorbable (absorbable) membranes are preferable in certain clinical situations?

Membranes for osteoplasty are made in the form of a very thin elastic film, and sometimes more like a fabric or cloth, and fixed with small titanium posts between the gum and jaw bone. Collagen, natural biomaterial for the human body, is a material without causing the immune system rejection and allergic reactions. Such natural material enables to leave absorbable membrane in the body to its complete resorption, which is about 4-6 months, and does not require additional surgery to remove it. As for guided bone regeneration, membrane material releases growth factors which stimulate cell growth and bone recovery.

The implant surgeon selects the type of membranes guided by indications and contraindications, the clinical situation and tasks that need to be solved in each individual case of dental implantation. Therefore, only a doctor takes the decision about choosing a resorbable or non-resorbable membrane in case of osteoplasty. He introduces you all the factors that have influenced his decision at the consultation and explains the rules of oral care in the postoperative period. However, if you  together with your dentist have  decided on the  treatment  with the help of protective membranes, the first thing you need to do is to give up  smoking or at least reduce the dose as it is important to  avoid creating a vacuum when  smoking because nicotine impairs periodontal condition that can cause inflammation.