EXPANDED POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE TITANIUM-REINFORCED MEMBRANES FOR REGENERATION OF MUCOGINGIVAL RECESSION DEFECTS - A 12-CASE REPORT

THE REGENERATION OF TISSUE to treat mucogingival recession defects is well established but these defects pose additional challenges for the clinician in the creation and maintenance of a space under the guiding membrane. We used titanium-reinforced membranes of expanded polytetra fluoroethylene (ePTFE) to facilitate the creation and maintenance of s uch spaces in 12 patients with mucogingival recession defects. The mem branes were judged according to their ease of handling and placement a nd the regenerative results; the patients were evaluated for gingival recession and the quantity of attached gingiva before and for as long as 15 months after treatment. At 15 months, the average gingival reces sion was 1.4 mm (pretreatment = 5.3 mm), and the attached gingiva meas ured 3.3 mm (pretreatment = 1.4 mm). Titanium-reinforced ePTFE membran es result in a simpler, faster, and more predictable surgical procedur e. Comparison of titanium-reinforced ePTFE membranes to other availabl e procedures awaits assessment in clinical trials.