d-PTFE Membrane
Pronunciation: dee-PEE-tee-eff-EE membrane
Also written as: d-PTFE — Dense Polytetrafluoroethylene
A dense polytetrafluoroethylene non-resorbable barrier membrane used in guided bone regeneration that is intentionally left partially exposed to the oral environment.
Full Definition
Dense PTFE (d-PTFE) membranes are non-resorbable GBR barriers with a tightly woven microstructure that resists bacterial infiltration, allowing deliberate transmucosal exposure without the risk of infection that would compromise conventional expanded PTFE (e-PTFE) membranes. They are typically removed at four to six weeks post-operatively. Editors must render the abbreviation as 'd-PTFE' with a lowercase 'd' and a hyphen; variants such as 'dPTFE' or 'D-PTFE' are non-standard. The term must not be confused with e-PTFE (expanded PTFE), which is a different membrane type with distinct handling and exposure protocols.
Usage
Usage note: Always render as 'd-PTFE' (lowercase d, hyphenated). Distinguish clearly from 'e-PTFE' in all clinical documents.
In Context
- "A d-PTFE membrane was selected for this ridge augmentation case owing to its tolerance of partial soft-tissue dehiscence during the healing phase." — Surgical case description
- "Authors should note that 'd-PTFE' and 'e-PTFE' are distinct materials and must not be used interchangeably within the same manuscript." — Journal editorial guideline