title: Early healing of peri-implant mucosa in man.
abstract: To analyse (i) cellular and vascular densities in the connective tissue interface portion of the peri-implant mucosa and (ii) tissue interactions with the titanium surface during early stages of healing.
  
  
  
  Circumferential biopsies of peri-implant soft tissues were retrieved together with custom-made abutments at 27 implants in 21 patients after 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks of healing. Following fixation, the peri-implant soft tissue was separated from the abutments, divided into four units and embedded in paraffin. Sections were produced and prepared for immunohistochemical analysis. The abutments were examined by SEM.
  
  
  
  T and B cells occurred in clusters with a decreasing cell density from 4 to 8 weeks of healing in the connective tissue lateral of the abutment. Macrophages were evenly distributed in the connective tissue along the abutment/tissue interface, while polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells were confined to the tissue portion lateral to the junctional epithelium. Vascular structures showed a decrease in density from 2 to 8 weeks of healing. SEM analyses of the abutments revealed an increased presence of tissue remnants attached to the surface with increasing healing time. A biofilm was consistently observed in a supra-mucosal position, apical of which a "clear zone" occurred that separated the tissue remnants and the biofilm.
  
  
  
  Onset and resolution of inflammation together with increasing tissue attachment to the implant characterize healing of peri-implant mucosa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Institute of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. cristiano.tomasi@odontologi.gu.se.
authors.forename: Cristiano
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3610-6574
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tomasi
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy.|Healthcare Research and Innovation Program (IRCS), Bruno Kessler Foundation, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tessarolo
authors.affiliation: Section of Electron Microscopy, Azienda Provinciale per i Servizi Sanitari di Trento, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Iole
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Caola
authors.affiliation: Section of Electron Microscopy, Azienda Provinciale per i Servizi Sanitari di Trento, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Piccoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Institute of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wennström
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy.|Healthcare Research and Innovation Program (IRCS), Bruno Kessler Foundation, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Giandomenico
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nollo
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Institute of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tord
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Berglundh
mesh_terms: D003238:Connective Tissue; D000044:Dental Abutments; D015921:Dental Implants; D004846:Epithelial Attachment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants; D014025:Titanium
keywords: SEM; dental implants; human; immunohistochemistry; soft tissue; titanium; wound healing