Barrier membranes are commonly used as part of the dental surgical technique guided
bone regeneration (GBR) and are often made of resorbable collagen or non-resorbable
materials such as PTFE. While collagen membranes do not provide sufficient mechanical
protection of the covered bone defect, titanium reinforced membranes and non-resorbable
membranes need to be removed in a second surgery. Thus, biodegradable GBR membranes
made of pure magnesium might be an alternative. In this study a biodegradable pure
magnesium (99.95%) membrane has been proven to have all of the necessary requirements
for an optimal regenerative outcome from both a mechanical and biological perspective.
After implantation, the magnesium membrane separates the regenerating bone from the
overlying, faster proliferating soft tissue. During the initial healing period, the
membrane maintained a barrier function and space provision, whilst retaining the positioning
of the bone graft material within the defect space. As the magnesium metal corroded,
it formed a salty corrosion layer and local gas cavities, both of which extended the
functional lifespan of the membrane barrier capabilities. During the resorption of
the magnesium metal and magnesium salts, it was observed that the membrane became
surrounded and then replaced by new bone. After the membrane had completely resorbed,
only healthy tissue remained. The in vivo performance study demonstrated that the
magnesium membrane has a comparable healing response and tissue regeneration to that
of a resorbable collagen membrane. Overall, the magnesium membrane demonstrated all
of the ideal qualities for a barrier membrane used in GBR treatment.
