For those performing implant treatment, continued research and reports of long-term successful results are essential to evaluating the validity of implants, especially when variables such as design and surface treatment are introduced. The dental profession has enthusiastically embraced the clinical results of implant treatment and its benefits to the patient. However, just as patients who undergo periodontal and restorative treatment must continue a regular long-term routine of maintenance therapy to ensure their dental health, so must those patients who receive dental implants. Both the periodontist who places the implants and the dentist who fabricates the prosthetic replacement must work cooperatively to deliver a healthy restoration that will function for many years.