BioHorizons Dental Implants, The Laser-Lok Connective-Tissue System

Overview, What BioHorizons Is and Why It Matters

BioHorizons is an American implant manufacturer based in Birmingham, Alabama, distinguished by its Laser-Lok surface, a laser-microgrooved collar designed to support direct connective-tissue attachment to the implant collar (rather than the long-junctional-epithelium attachment seen with conventional smooth or polished collars). The clinical claim: tighter biological seal at the gingival interface, reduced crestal bone loss, and more predictable peri-implant tissue health over the long term.

BioHorizons, Brand and Manufacturer Background

{{IMAGE_PLACEHOLDER:BioHorizons headquarters or production facility, Birmingham Alabama exterior}}

BioHorizons was founded in 1994 in Birmingham, Alabama, by a small engineering and clinical team focused on developing a clinically-validated alternative to the European tier-1 systems then dominant. The Laser-Lok surface technology, based on micron-precise laser-microgrooves on the collar, was patented in the late 1990s and has been the company's core differentiator since. BioHorizons was acquired by Henry Schein in 2018 and now operates as a Henry Schein subsidiary, with its independent product range maintained.

Regulatory Clearances and Quality Standards

• FDA 510(k), current
• CE marking, current
• TGA Australia, CDSCO India, registered

ISO 13485 manufacturing; full lot-level traceability.

Surface Treatment and Osseointegration Profile

The BioHorizons surface system is two-component:

Laser-Lok collar, laser-cut microgrooves at 8-µm width and 12-µm depth on the implant collar. The grooves are at a scale that supports direct connective-tissue attachment (cells orient and attach perpendicular to the grooves rather than parallel-sliding as on smooth surfaces). This is the scientifically-distinct claim of the system.

RBT (Resorbable Blast Texturing), moderate-roughness body surface produced by blasting with bioresorbable hydroxyapatite particles, producing a surface comparable to SLA in mechanical properties but with no residual blasting medium left on the fixture.

{{IMAGE_PLACEHOLDER:Scanning electron microscope image of Laser-Lok microgrooves at 1000× magnification}}

Clinical evidence specifically on Laser-Lok: Nevins et al. (2008) reported significantly less crestal bone loss at 3-year follow-up vs. machined-collar controls. Nevins et al. (2010) extended to 5-year with the same finding. The Laser-Lok evidence is the most-cited "collar surface affects long-term outcomes" data in implantology, and is one of the few collar-design changes with prospective controlled evidence supporting clinical outcomes.

Surgical Protocol, How BioHorizons Is Placed

Drill Sequence and Torque Profile

Brand-specific drill kit; standard saline irrigation 50 ml/min; target insertion torque 30–45 Ncm.

Recommended Primary Stability Threshold

ISQ 65+ for delayed loading; ISQ 70+ for immediate loading where the protocol supports it.

Available Connections

• Tapered Internal, internal hex with platform-switching
• Internal, parallel-walled internal-hex
• Tapered Pro Conical, conical Morse-taper variant for premium aesthetic and immediate-load cases

Recommended Sites and Indications

Single-tooth anterior (Tapered Pro Conical preferred for the connective-tissue interface), single-tooth posterior (Tapered Internal), multi-unit bridge, full-arch (Tapered Pro Conical for full-arch protocols).

Prosthetic Options, What Sits On Top

• Cement-retained crowns, abutment range covers most aesthetic and posterior cases
• Screw-retained crowns, for retrievability
• Multi-unit abutments, for full-arch protocols
• Custom CAD-CAM, BioHorizons libraries available for 3Shape, exocad

Indications and Contraindications

Indications. Single-tooth anterior aesthetic, thin gingival biotype, history of peri-implantitis at adjacent sites, aesthetic-zone bridge work, cases where the soft-tissue interface is a documented clinical concern.

Relative contraindications. Heavy parafunction (we add a custom occlusal night-guard); active periodontal disease at adjacent sites (treat first); significant bone-quality compromise.

Absolute contraindications. Same as Straumann/Nobel.

What This Costs

Stunning Dentistry's Experience With BioHorizons

BioHorizons entered our inventory in 2014, specifically for soft-tissue-critical cases where the Laser-Lok collar was the deciding factor. We have placed approximately 850 fixtures across the eleven-year span. The 924-implant formal audit included 102 BioHorizons fixtures, survival at four-year follow-up: 96.9%. The most recent BioHorizons-supervised provider audit (October 2025) issued zero non-conformances.