What does the membrane do?

The membrane keeps fast-growing gum tissue out of the defect, so the slower-growing bone and periodontal ligament have room to rebuild there instead. It works physically, as a barrier placed over the space. Without it the gum would fill the defect first, because it regenerates far faster than bone or ligament.

Is it the same as a bone graft?

No, though they are often done together. A bone graft adds material to the site, while guided tissue regeneration is about excluding the wrong tissue so the right one can form. Where a defect also needs volume added, the membrane is combined with grafting.

Why not just let it heal?

Left alone, the defect would heal with gum tissue in the place where the tooth needed bone and ligament. The site would look closed and recovered from the outside, while underneath the tooth would have gained nothing it can be held by. The membrane changes that by giving the slower tissues the time and room to rebuild.

Is it done at the same time as other surgery?

Often, yes: it is commonly done alongside pocket reduction surgery, since the site is already open and accessible. The procedure usually needs surgical access to the defect, so pairing it with surgery that already provides that access is practical. Membrane type, healing time and how much regeneration to expect depend on the defect and are discussed at a consultation with your radiographs.

Periodontics

Guided Tissue Regeneration in Los Angeles

Giving the slow tissue a chance to win the race.

When periodontitis destroys bone around a tooth, the body will heal the site — just with the wrong tissue, because gum grows faster than bone. A barrier changes that. Smile LA Downtown Modern Dentistry uses it to preserve teeth that would otherwise be lost.

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Smiling woman pointing to her gums and teeth

The problem

The problem it solves

A periodontal defect is a space where bone and ligament used to be. Left to heal on its own it fills with gum tissue, which regenerates far faster than either of them — and the tooth ends up with soft tissue in the place where it needed support. The result looks healed and is not, which is exactly the difficulty: from the outside the gum has closed over and the site appears to have recovered, while underneath the tooth has gained nothing it can be held by. Bone and periodontal ligament will rebuild into that space given the room and the time, but in a straight race against gum tissue they lose every time. The technique is about changing the odds of that race.

How the barrier works

A membrane is placed over the defect, physically excluding the fast-growing gum tissue from the space underneath. That gives the bone and the periodontal ligament the time and the room to rebuild into it.

Selective, not additive

The technique is about what it keeps out. Where volume also has to be added, it is combined with bone grafting.
Around a tooth being saved

This is a procedure for preserving a natural tooth, which is the point of it.
Usually with surgical access

Often done at the same appointment as pocket reduction surgery, since the site is already open.

Where it fits

Advanced periodontitis affects the bone supporting your teeth, and our methods aim to preserve affected teeth wherever possible — timely intervention is what makes that achievable. See gum disease, and periodontal maintenance for what holds the result afterwards.

What we have not stated

Membrane type, healing time and how much regeneration to expect all depend on the defect. Those belong in a consultation with your radiographs on the screen rather than on a web page.

An operatory equipped with a surgical microscope beside the exposed brick wall

The short answer

Guided tissue regeneration is a periodontal procedure that places a barrier membrane over a defect around a tooth, so that fast-growing gum tissue cannot fill the space before the slower bone and periodontal ligament rebuild it. It is usually carried out with surgical access, often at the same appointment as pocket reduction surgery, and it is combined with bone grafting where volume also has to be added. Its purpose is to preserve a natural tooth whose supporting bone has been damaged by periodontitis.

Guided Tissue Regeneration FAQ

What does the membrane do?: The membrane keeps fast-growing gum tissue out of the defect, so the slower-growing bone and periodontal ligament have room to rebuild there instead. It works physically, as a barrier placed over the space. Without it the gum would fill the defect first, because it regenerates far faster than bone or ligament.
Is it the same as a bone graft?: No, though they are often done together. A bone graft adds material to the site, while guided tissue regeneration is about excluding the wrong tissue so the right one can form. Where a defect also needs volume added, the membrane is combined with grafting.
Why not just let it heal?: Left alone, the defect would heal with gum tissue in the place where the tooth needed bone and ligament. The site would look closed and recovered from the outside, while underneath the tooth would have gained nothing it can be held by. The membrane changes that by giving the slower tissues the time and room to rebuild.
Is it done at the same time as other surgery?: Often, yes: it is commonly done alongside pocket reduction surgery, since the site is already open and accessible. The procedure usually needs surgical access to the defect, so pairing it with surgery that already provides that access is practical. Membrane type, healing time and how much regeneration to expect depend on the defect and are discussed at a consultation with your radiographs.