Is Guided Bone Regenratino (RGB) still a current issue ?

In 1982 Nyman et al. described the guided tissue regeneration (GTR). It gave a new impetus to periodontology, and periodontists became enthusiastic about this innovative concept.

In 1988, further to Dalhin et al. researches, GTR was applied to pre- and peri-implant reconstructions. Guided bone regeneration (GBR) was born.

The impressive number of publications on the subject and the congress programs of the 1990s reflect the effervescence of these techniques created both in the research and in the clinical areas.The bone reconstruction problem seemed indeed to be solved both with reliability and predictability.

Then novelty effects shaded off. Litterature looked more at implant surface conditions, biomaterials, immediate loadings, implant planifications..., and GBR has been so neglected that it could seem legitimate to ask ourselves if it is still a current topic.

So, why this issue about GBR? On the one hand, GBR remains, in our opinion, totally topical because it allows, when properly used, important bone reconstructions in a reproductible manner. On other hand, the process of osteointegration is the same in a regenerated tissue and in the initial bone. Finally, GBR success rates are so high that we can consider it as the most predictable technique when adequate protocol stages are carefully respected.

Our conviction was fully confirmed by Massimo Simion who edited this special issue.

We are very glad today to publish this 2007 first issue thanks to our guest editor Pr Massimo Simion and his collaborators.

We thank them all, and specially Dr Filippo Fontana who had the difficult mission to assume the coordination between the authors and the JPIO.

Good reading and happy new year 2007.