Soft Tissue Integration of Implant Abutments – Luigi Canullo, DDS, PhD

Luigi Canullo, DDS, PhD
Recently published Literature showed that interactions between soft tissues and a foreign body, like an abutment, was mediated by the abutment material features and the tissue characteristics, so far defined only using the biotype. However, once analyzed in detail the soft tissue adaptation to the abutment, different variables were demonstrated to simultaneously interact in this scenario. In fact, the soft tissue expression appeared to depend not only on the histologic characteristics but mostly on the individual inflammatory and regenerative patterns (epigenetics). At the same time, the prosthetic work flow was also demonstrated to influence the healing displays, as well as the abutment surface features, which could be didactically summarized using a macro-, micro- and nano- scale. In fact, while a narrower macro morphology was clearly associated to a better bone level maintenance and better esthetic outcomes, moderately rough microtopography was shown to enhance the connective/metallic adhesion. An even more magnified capture of the situation revealed that more hydrophilic and more decontaminated surfaces presented a stronger tissue/metallic adhesion, correlated to a consequent positive impact on bone level changes. Finally, last but not least parameter, in a microbiological contaminated environment like the oral cavity, microbiological colonization of the abutment surface was shown to influence the soft tissue/foreign body interaction.
Recorded – April 13, 2021