| Abstract: | The last two decades have seen a remarkable growth in the development of dental implants and their incorporation into the practice of dentistry. This turn of events was made possible by an improved understanding of the biological response of living tissues to implants as well as clinical trials that validated the long-term success of these implants. Despite major structural differences between teeth and implants, such as the absence of a periodontal ligament around implants, the latter appear to provide a reliable functional replacement for their natural counterparts. This review briefly summarizes the major structural differences of the interfacial region of teeth and dental implants and their supporting tissues. It focuses on our current understanding of the soft and hard tissue responses to submerged and nonsubmerged root-form dental implants. The influence of a number of factors that affect the tissue response is reviewed, including biomaterials, implant design, surgical technique, and the local microbiota. Our recently acquired ability to modulate wound healing with guided tissue regeneration and growth factors will undoubtedly play an important role in the future utilization and success rates of dental implants. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc. |
