Cortical lamina: a new device for the treatment of moderate and severe tridimensional bone and soft tissue defects

Ridge defects are a very common finding after tooth extraction. Recent literature has shown that the pattern of bone and soft tissue remodeling can obtain up to 50% of the original volume. Many different surgical approaches have been proposed over the years to correct ridge defects, but the results have often been inconsistent or difficult to reproduce on a daily basis. For some time, surgeons have relied on the guided bone regeneration (GBR) technique, taking advantage of a barrier membrane to protect the blood clot, combined with different combinations of autogenous bone and bone grafts from various sources. If some kind of understanding has been reached and certain guidelines adopted for the treatment of horizontal defects, those for tridimensional and vertical defects still present a challenge. About a decade ago, a new biomaterial became available on the market – a membrane made of collagenated porcine bone called cortical lamina – which proved to be reliable and easy to handle for both horizontal and vertical defects. The aim of this article is to review the current literature on the topic and to discuss the material in its three forms through the presentation of three patient cases of differing complexity, each with its unique indications and characteristics.