Bone Augmentation of Peri-Implant Dehiscence Defects Using Multilaminated Small Intestinal Submucosa as a Barrier Membrane: An Experimental Study in Dogs

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to evaluate the effects of multilaminated small intestinal submucosa (mSIS) combined with bone substitute material to repair peri-implant defects during guided bone regeneration procedures. METHODS: Twelve implants were placed in bilateral lower premolars of three beagle dogs, and a peri-implant buccal bone defect (3 mm width and 4 mm height) was created at each implant site. A total of 12 sites were filled with a particulate bone substitute material and then randomly divided into three treatment groups: covered by mSIS membrane (mSIS group), covered by collagen membrane (BG group), and no treatment (control group), each group of four sites. After 12 weeks of healing, all of the animals were euthanized and dissected blocks were obtained for micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and histological analyses. RESULTS: Micro-CT results revealed similar horizontal width of augmented tissue and new bone formation between mSIS and BG groups (P < 0.05). Histological analyses revealed that the differences in horizontal widths of newly formed bone and bone-to-implant contact between mSIS and BG groups were not significant (P > 0.05). All of these parameters were significantly different from those in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These findings confirmed that mSIS combined with the bone substitute material enhanced bone regeneration in peri-implant defects, in a manner similar to that of a collagen membrane.