Background: Bone regeneration procedures represent a major challenge in oral surgery. This study aimed to evaluate a composite PRF/particulate xenograft in guided bone regeneration.
Methods: Edentulous patients with horizontal ridge deficiencies in the anterior maxilla and candidates to an immediate-loading full-arch rehabilitation were included. Horizontal linear measurements indicating bone gain were assessed from computer beam computer tomography (CBCT) scans obtained at pre-surgery, post-surgery, and the 12-month follow-up. Mean bone values were presented as mean ± 95% CI. Non-parametric tests were used as appropriate, and the effect size was calculated with Cohen's d repeated measures.
Results: Eighteen patients were rehabilitated with 72 implants. The mean horizontal bone width was 4.47 [4.13-4.80] mm pre-surgically, 9.25 [8.76-9.75] mm post-surgically, and 7.71 [7.28-8.14] mm 12 months after.
Conclusions: PRF associated with a xenograft seems to promote an effective horizontal bone gain. Randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm the benefits of this surgical approach.
Keywords: atrophic maxilla; deproteinized bovine bone mineral; guided bone regeneration; horizontal augmentation; natural scaffold; platelet-rich fibrin.