title: Biological complication in guided bone regeneration with a polylactic acid membrane: a case report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This case report describes a biologic complication related to polylactic acid membrane in guided bone regeneration (GBR).
  
  
  METHODS
  A healthy 42-year-old patient complained of persistent discomfort of the maxillary anterior gingiva. Clinical examination and radiographs showed severe periodontal destruction of teeth 7 through 10. Teeth extraction was followed by early implant placement with GBR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four months later, severe bone resorption was observed upon surgical exposure. A second GBR was performed. Wound healing progressed uneventfully and an implant-supported fixed partial denture was later loaded.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We presume that this complication was a foreign body reaction to the polylactic acid membrane. Such a reaction can affect soft and hard tissue healing following GBR. Long-term follow-up is needed to determine stability of the results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan. lianpingmau@yahoo.com.tw
authors.forename: Lian Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Mau
authors.forename: Chih-Wen
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Ping-Yen
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Archie A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000328:Adult; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D001861:Bone Regeneration; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D003830:Denture, Partial, Fixed; D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction / Q000209:etiology*; D016557:Guided Tissue Regeneration, Periodontal / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide)