Augmentation of osseous tissue around nonsubmerged endosseous dental implants

The placement of one-stage endosseous dental implants and the achievement of success rates greater than or equal to two-stage implants present a unique challenge for combining regeneration and implant placement. This report describes the evolution of a technique in which membrane barrier technology is combined with implant placement. This allows healing to occur with minimal inflammation around the one-stage implant and provides an extended, complication-free healing period for both osseous regeneration and implant integration. Present membrane technology requires a second surgical procedure to remove the membrane, but future resorbable membranes, when available, should make regeneration around one-stage implants a relatively simple clinical procedure.