The sausage technique is a term used in implant dentistry to describe a specific technique used for bone regeneration. Created by Hungarian periodontist Dr. Istvan Urban, the sausage technique is much less invasive than its predecessors. Before this technique was developed, more autogenous bone had to be harvested, which typically resorbs over time. Now, periodontists attempting to regenerate bone prior to a dental implant can use 50% autogenous bone and 50% xenogenic bone. Instead of using only one material or the other, both materials are used and much less autogenous bone is necessary, which results in a less invasive harvesting procedure. The sausage technique receives its name from the way the native collagen membrane looks when it is stretched out like a skin with small tacks to keep the bone graft from moving. The membrane allows for improved blood flow during healing and bone regeneration, and the host bone is typically reabsorbed by 6 weeks.