Guided bone regeneration for dental implants.

The application of barrier membranes to promote bone regeneration was first described by Hurley et al. (J Bone Joint Surg 1959, 41A:1243-1254) in orthopedic research. However, the clinical potential of this membrane technique was recognized in the early 1980s for periodontal regeneration. Based on promising results in periodontology, researchers started to evaluate the potential of this technique--often called guided bone regeneration (GBR)--to regenerate bone defects in the alveolar process. This review describes the current knowledge of GBR in implant dentistry. Emphasis is placed on the scientific basis of GBR and the various surgical factors necessary to achieve predictable results with GBR procedures. In addition, unanswered questions that require future research are addressed including long-term success rates of dental implants placed in combination with barrier membranes, evaluation of resorbable membranes, and use of bone substitutes or growth factors to enhance bone regeneration in membrane-protected defects.