Histologic and clinical comparison of bilateral sinus floor elevations with and without barrier membrane placement in 12 patients: Part 3 of an ongoing prospective study

In 1993 the Department of implant Dentistry at New York University College of Dentistry began a long-term clinical, histologic, histomorphometric, and radiographic study of the sinus elevation procedure. One of the parameters under evaluation in this study is the effect of barrier membrane placement on the creation of vital bone in the grafted sinus cavity. This report pre sents a histologic and histomorphometric evaluation of healing with and wit hout the placement of an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) barrier membrane over the lateral window at the time of sinus grafting. The data we re collected from 12 patients who underwent bilateral sinus elevation surge ry. In each of these 12 patients the same grafting material was used in bot h sinuses, making the presence or absence of an e-PTFE barrier membrane the only controlled variable. Under the conditions of this study, the results indicate that (1) placement of the barrier membrane tends to increase vital bone formation; (2) placement of a barrier membrane has a positive effect on implant survival; and (3) membrane placement should be considered for al l sinus elevation procedures.