Development of Antibacterial & Osteogenic Nanocomposite Membranes for Guided Bone Regeneration

Abstract

A number of treatments and modalities have been reported to fasten the process of bone regeneration including guided bone regeneration where a barrier membrane provides an isolated space and medium to the defect site to recover quickly without the intervention of surrounding soft tissues. Despite several advantages of both resorbable and non-resorbable membranes, resorbable membranes are usually preferred as they don’t need a second surgery for their removal. They also degrade easily whilst performing the required function of bone restoration. For clinical applications, gelatin/chitosan blend have warrant attention as they provide unique properties. Gelatin possesses RGD like sequences which facilitate cell attachment and migration whereas chitosan is another bioactive and degradable polymer that is widely used in many applications. High degradability, however, may lead to loss of mechanical strength. To overcome this problem, certain cross-linkers are added with the intention of increasing strength and extending the time of degradation.