Aim To provide an overview on the biology and soft tissue wound healing around teeth and dental implants. Material and Methods This narrative review focuses on cell biology and histology of soft tissue wounds around natural teeth and dental implants. Results and conclusions The available data indicate that: Oral wounds follow a similar pattern. The tissue specificities of the gingival, alveolar and palatal mucosa appear to be innately and not necessarily functionally determined. The granulation tissue originating from the periodontal ligament or from connective tissue originally covered by keratinized epithelium has the potential to induce keratinization. However, it also appears that deep palatal connective tissue may not have the same potential to induce keratinization as the palatal connective tissue originating from an immediately subepithelial area. Epithelial healing following non‐surgical and surgical periodontal therapy appears to be completed after a period of 7–14 days. Structural integrity of a maturing wound between a denuded root surface and a soft tissue flap is achieved at approximately 14‐days post‐surgery. The formation of the biological width and maturation of the barrier function around transmucosal implants requires 6–8 weeks of healing. The established peri‐implant soft connective tissue resembles a scar tissue in composition, fibre orientation, and vasculature. The peri‐implant junctional epithelium may reach a greater final length under certain conditions such as implants placed into fresh extraction sockets versus conventional implant procedures in healed sites.

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Platelets have been implicated in accelerated bone regeneration in grafting applications. The beneficial effects of platelets may involve their ability to stimulate the proliferation of osteoblasts. We therefore determined the mitogenic response of human trabecular bone-derived cells to human platelets and supernatants of thrombin-activated platelets. We can show a approximately 50-fold increase in DNA-synthesis of bone cells (BC) cultured in the presence of platelets as determined by [3H]-thymidine incorporation. Preventing cell-to-cell contact by a membrane filter did not abrogate the stimulatory effect, indicating the release of soluble factor(s) that are mitogenic for BC. The lipid fraction of the platelets had no effect on [3H]-thymidine uptake into the DNA of BC. Platelet-released supernatant (PRS) increased the rate of [3H]-thymidine incorporation to approximately 20-fold and retained 56% of their activity after incubation at 56 degrees C, and 27% at 100 degrees C, respectively. Neutralizing antibodies raised against platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) partially suppressed the mitogenic potential of PRS. Gel exclusion chromatography analysis showed that molecules ranging from 25 kDa to more than 70 kDa within the PRS can stimulate BC proliferation. The highest amount of PDGF was detected in fractions corresponding to a molecular weight of 28-37 kDa as determined by immunoassay. The mitogenic activity was not restricted to soluble growth factors because microparticles in the PRS and platelet membranes also increased BC proliferation. Our data indicate that native platelets, the respective PRS, microparticles, and platelet membranes can stimulate the mitogenic activity of BC, thereby contributing to the regeneration of mineralized tissue.