Tenting Screw
A small titanium screw placed into bone to elevate and support a resorbable or non-resorbable membrane away from the underlying defect during guided bone regeneration.
Full Definition
A tenting screw (also called a fixation screw or cortical tenting pin) is used in guided bone regeneration procedures to create and maintain a space beneath a membrane, preventing membrane collapse into the bone defect. By physically elevating the membrane, the tenting screw creates the necessary volume for new bone formation without the membrane being compressed by overlying soft tissue. The screw is typically removed at re-entry surgery before implant placement or membrane retrieval. Editors should note that 'tenting screw' and 'membrane fixation pin' serve different functions: the latter anchors the membrane peripherally, while the former lifts its center.
Usage
Usage note: Hyphenate as a compound modifier when used before a noun: 'tenting-screw technique'. As a standalone noun, no hyphen.
In Context
- "Two tenting screws were placed centrally to prevent membrane collapse over the buccal dehiscence defect." — GBR surgical technique article
- "The tenting screw was retrieved at the second-stage surgery prior to implant placement." — Clinical case report