title: Reattachment of connective tissue fibers to a laser-microgrooved abutment surface.
abstract: This report presents human evidence of reattachment of the connective tissue when a laser-microgrooved healing abutment was replaced with a laser-microgrooved cylindric definitive abutment. No additional bone loss was noted 15 weeks after placement of the laser-microgrooved cylindric definitive abutment. Dense connective tissue was in intimate contact with the laser-microgrooved surface to the point of the soft tissue separation, and clear evidence of the junctional epithelium ending at the coronal-most position of the laser-microgrooved zone was identified.
authors.affiliation: Division of Periodontology, Department of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02155, USA. nevinsperimp@aol.com
authors.forename: Myron
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nevins
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Camelo
authors.forename: Marc L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Nevins
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schupbach
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000044:Dental Abutments; D045662:Dental Etching / Q000379:methods*; D059605:Dental Implant-Abutment Design; D004846:Epithelial Attachment / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005881:Gingiva / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D016348:Osseointegration / Q000502:physiology; D013499:Surface Properties