Guided Bone Regeneration (GBR) and Guided Tissue Regeneration (GTR) are dental surgical procedures that utilize barrier membranes to direct the growth of new bone and gingival tissue at sites having insufficient volumes or dimensions of bone or gingival for proper function, aesthetic or prosthetic restoration.

GBR is similar to GTR but is focused on development of hard tissues in addition to the soft tissues of the periodontal attachment.

In the surgery under local anaesthesia the surgeon exposes the area of concern, carefully cleans it and installs a membrane between the soft tissue and the pocket in the bone.  This membrane keeps fast-growing soft tissue out of the pocket so that slow-growing bone has a chance to grow and fill it in.  Some membranes need to be removed at a later stage, while others will reabsorb if left in place. 

The progress of the guided tissue regeneration can be monitored with periodic x-rays to check on the growth of new bone and confirm that the growth is proceeding as expected.

While new bone is growing, the patient may need to follow a rigorous regimen which includes very careful oral care and prober nutrition.

The surgeon will make recommendations on the basis of the location of the GTR, the patient’s history and the patient’s specific needs.  When the GTR/GBR are recommended, a surgeon usually asks the patient if he or she is willing to commit to the extra care needed.  If the patient will not be able to follow through with the aftercare, the procedure may not be as successful.