The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) membrane exposure on the initial healing of the periodontal tissue in guided tissue regeneration (GTR) procedure. 90 sites selected from 90 patients were treated with gingival flap surgery supported by an e-PTFE membrane. The material included angular bony defects with probing attachment loss of > 5mm or degree II furcation involvement. Treated sites were classified with membrane exposure group and non-exposure group at membrane removal and evaluated healing type. The results were obtained as follows. 1. e-PTFE membrane was exposed at 61 sites (67.8%) among 90 sites. 2. Thirteen sites (14.4%) depicted rapid healing type, 65 sites (72.2%) depicted typical healing type, 9 sites (10%) showed delayed healing type and 3 sites (3.3%) were categorized as adversed healing type. 3. In e-PTFE membrane exposure group, 1 site (1.6%), 51 sites (83.6%), 6 sites (9.8%) and 3 sites (4.9%) showed rapid healing type, typical healing type, delayed healing type and adverse healing type respectively. 4. In e-PTFE membrane non-exposure group, 12 sites (41.3%), 14 sites (48.3%) and 3 sites (10.3%) showed rapid healing type, typical healing type and delayed healing type respectively. Adverse healing type was not observed. 5. The rate of favourable healing between e-PTFE membrane exposure group and non-exposure group was not statistically significant(p=0.56). These results suggest that the prevention of membrane exposure may be important to obtain rapid healing type. However favourable healing could be obtained with stringent infection control program even if membrane was exposed.