GUIDED BONE REGENERATION

Guided bone regeneration (GBR) is a reconstructive procedure of alveolar ridge using membranes with or without particulate bone grafts or/and bone substitutes. This procedure is indicated when insufficient bone for implantation is there, or in case of optimal implant placement for esthetic or functional needs. GBR can be performed before placement of implant, when there is insufficient bone for initial stability of implants and less predictable outcomes (staged approach), or performed simultaneously with implantation (combined approach). Vertical and horizontal ridge augmentations can be done by the use of GBR technique with acceptable results. This literature review discusses the background, the materials used in GBR (types of membranes and bone grafts), principles of GBR, factors affecting successful regeneration and determinants for implant site augmentation.