Human histologic evidence of a connective tissue attachment to a dental implant.

This human proof-of-principle study was designed to investigate the possibility of achieving a physical connective tissue attachment to the Laser-Lok microchannel collar of a dental implant. Its 2-mm collar has been micromachined to encourage bone and connective tissue attachment while preventing apical migration of the epithelium. Implants were harvested with the surrounding implant soft and hard tissues after 6 months. The histologic investigation was conducted with light microscopy, polarized light, and scanning electron microscopy.