Influence of SLM-, SLS-, and DMLS-Manufactured Titanium Meshes on Bone Gain Parameters and Complications: A Systematic Review.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Guided bone regeneration one of the most widely used techniques, relies on combining bone graft material with barrier membranes or meshes. The choice of the mesh material depends on the specific clinical situation. Among the available options, titanium membranes are recognized as one of the most effective in dental implantology. The latter can be categorized into two groups: commercial and individualized. Advancements in additive manufacturing make customized titanium meshes an attractive option for bone regeneration. Customized titanium meshes can be manufactured using three main methods: selective laser sintering (SLS), selective laser melting (SLM), and direct metal laser sintering (DMLS). This review aims to provide information about the differences between the production process and the clinical outcomes. Methods: This systematic review was conducted by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Relevant articles were sought out in the Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus databases. Results: A total of ten articles were included and thoroughly reviewed. The type of bone graft used, the manufacturing technique, the amount of bone gain, the healing time, and the intraoperative and postoperative complications are discussed. Conclusions: All the relevant studies demonstrated good and predictable results using augmentation with individualized titanium meshes manufactured via SLS, SLM, or DMLS methods.