An implant includes an implantable body portion adapted to be at least
partially recessed within a patient's alveolar bone, and which has a
peripheral surface portion, which is configured to stimulate and/or
facilitate the engagement of osteoblasts and other bone tissues with the
implant. The implant body provides bone engaging regions along one or
more of the distal and/or mesial implant surfaces, which are elongated
relative to bone engaging regions on the lingual and/or buccal surfaces
of the implant body. In particular, the implantable portion of the
implant body includes a bone engaging surface which, when the implant
body is fully seated within the patient's jaw bone, extends from a distal
portion of the implant body to a remote proximal-most edge. The
proximal-most edge has a contour selected to generally follow a
predetermined crestal outline of the supporting bone tissue.