QUALITATIVE STUDY OF COLLAGENOUS AND NONCOLLAGENOUS GLYCOPROTEINS OF THE HUMAN HEALTHY KERATINIZED MUCOSA SURROUNDING IMPLANTS

The purpose of this study was to analyse the distribution of interstit ial collagenous and noncollagenous glycoproteins of keratinized mucosa surrounding successful endosseous implants. Biopsies were incubated w ith highly purified antibodies against types I, III, IV collagen, lami nin and fibronectin and routinely observed by immunofluorescence stain ing. Whereas no significative difference in the distribution of collag enous components was observed in comparison with healthy human gingiva , the collagen fibers of the connective tissue attachment ran parallel to the long axis of the implant. In 50% of the biopsies the gingival connective tissue underlying the junctional epithelium was rich in inf lammatory cells and poor in collagenous components. However, the incre ased staining of type III collagen and the intense presence of fibrone ctin in this area reflect the very important remodeling ability; of th e local keratinized mucosa.