Abstract
Objective: To report the mid- to long-term clinical outcomes of implant therapy combined with guided bone regeneration (GBR) in an anterior maxillary defect with buccal bone deficiency, in which the membrane was fixed using resorbable bone tacks.
Patient overview: A 33-year-old man presented with a missing maxillary right central incisor. Following initial periodontal therapy, an implant was placed, and GBR was performed using deproteinized bovine bone mineral and a collagen membrane, which was stabilized with resorbable bone tacks. Healing after implant placement was uneventful, with no signs of infection or wound dehiscence. At 3 years after prosthesis delivery, computed tomography suggested that the bone tacks had been resorbed. Although a slight concave appearance was observed at the former fixation sites, no radiolucency or inflammatory findings were detected, and both hard and soft peri-implant tissues remained stable.
Conclusion: Membrane fixation using resorbable bone tacks may be a useful option for GBR in the esthetic zone; however, continued long-term follow-up is necessary to fully evaluate its biological and clinical impact.
