Osseointegration and the biology of peri-implant hard and soft tissues

Abstract

Restoration of missing teeth in the aesthetic zone with oral implants is a complex combination of surgical and restorative techniques along with medical device designs that optimizes the potential of biology to both rapidly heal and maintain long-term hard and soft tissue health around the implant. Rapid expansion of our knowledge regarding wound healing is allowing this knowledge to be applied to implant designs, enabling a more rapid and predicable use of oral implants in the aesthetic zone. As important as biology is for bone wound healing, the response of the mucosal soft tissue will be the most dominant aspect of the result observed by the patient. Care in planning and execution of the implant procedure is needed along with careful development of a concave transition zone from the head of the implant to the restorative margin for predicable stability of soft tissues. Through a combination of innovative biomedical device designs, clinical diagnosis, careful surgical management, and detailed understanding of the restorative aspects will allow for the provision of optimal patient care in the aesthetic zone.