To investigate the difference between resorbable membrane and non-resorbable membrane in alveolar bone augmentation before orthodontic treatment.

Forty adult malocclusion patients with bone dehiscence in the lower anterior teeth area through cone-beam CT (CBCT) examination were selected in the orthodontics department of Foshan stomatological hospital from August 2018 to August 2019. They were randomly divided into two groups by random number table. In one group, the absorbable membrane was used during the treatment, which was classified as absorbable membrane group. In the other group, the non-absorbable membrane was used during the treatment, which was classified as non-absorbable membrane group. Patients were Informed consent of using absorbable membrane or non-absorbable membrane before surgery. CBCT was used to measure the distance between the labial/lingual alveolar crest and enamel cementum boundary and the thickness of labial/lingual alveolar bone in apical area of each lower anterior tooth before and half a year after operation. The height and thickness increment of labial/lingual alveolar bone were calculated. T-test was used to compare the difference of labial/lingual alveolar bone height and thickness increment between absorbable membrane group and non-absorbable membrane group.

The average height increment of labial alveolar bone was (1.8 ± 0.5) mm, lingual alveolar bone was (0.6 ± 0.5) mm, labial alveolar bone thickness increment was (2.3 ± 0.5) mm and lingual alveolar bone thickness increment was (0.5 ± 0.6) mm in the absorbable membrane group. The average height increment of labial alveolar bone was (2.1 ± 0.5) mm, lingual alveolar bone was (0.7 ± 0.6) mm, labial alveolar bone thickness increment was (2.4 ± 0.6) mm and lingual alveolar bone thickness increment was (0.4 ± 0.5) mm in the non-absorbable membrane group. The results showed that there was significant difference in the height increment of labial alveolar bone between absorbable membrane group and non-absorbable membrane group (t=-2.250, P = 0.03) . There was no significant difference in the height increment of lingual alveolar bone between absorbable membrane group and non-absorbable membrane group (t=-0.547, P = 0.05) as well as in the thickness increment of labial alveolar bone (t=-0.534, P = 0.596) and lingual alveolar bone (t=-0.826, P = 0.587) .

The application of non-resorbable membrane can significantly increase the height of labial alveolar bone, but the acceptability of patients remains for reoperation still need to be studied.