Aetiology and Causal Factors of Peri-implant Mucositis
- Shift in bacterial biofilm composition causes peri-implant mucosa inflammation
- Increase in proportion of bacteria from the orange complex (F. nucleatum, P. intermedia, Eubacterium species)
- Decrease in proportion of Streptococci and Actinomoyces species
- Accumulation of bacteria around dental implants causes peri-implant mucositis
- Inflammatory cell infiltrate in connective tissue contributes to development
- Excess luting cement contributes to peri-implant mucositis
- Previous periodontal conditions increase risk of developing peri-implant mucositis
- Lack of keratinised mucosa and poorly-controlled diabetes are risk factors
- Radiation and smoking also contribute to peri-implant mucositis
- Location, type of implant, and age of subject may influence bleeding on probing
Signs, Symptoms, and Diagnosis of Peri-implant Mucositis
- Bleeding on probing with no bone loss
- Localised swelling
- Redness/erythema
- Increased shininess of soft tissue surface
- Soreness
- Investigate probing parameters and complete radiographic assessment
- Diagnosis based on clinical signs of inflammatory disease
- Radiographic assessment to exclude bone level changes
- Red, swollen, and soft peri-implant tissues
- Increased probing depths compared to baseline measurements
Risk Factors for Peri-implant Mucositis
- General risk factors: smoking, radiation therapy, poorly controlled diabetes
- Local risk factors: oral hygiene, poor compliance with implant therapy, design of prostheses, sub-mucosal restorations, dimension of keratinized peri-implant mucosa, excess cement
- Possible risk factors: location of implant, type of implant, age of subject
Effective Treatments for Peri-implant Mucositis
- Low quality evidence for most effective treatments
- No reliable evidence for long-term benefits
- Trials have short follow-up periods and limited subjects
- Need for more research as the number of implant patients increases
- Importance of finding definitive answers for maintenance and treatment
- Little evidence for effective interventions
- Lack of research on maintaining health and reversing effects
- Importance of conducting more randomized controlled trials
- Need for long-term studies on implant failure and inflammation
- Difficult and expensive trials necessary for finding answers
Biomarkers and Instrumentation for Peri-implant Mucositis
- No sensitive diagnostic test available for reversible changes
- Salivary biomarkers and biomarkers in crevicular fluid present in higher levels with peri-implant mucositis
- No benefit to assessing peri-implant fluid or analyzing saliva
- Research ongoing for biochemical diagnostic tests
- No biochemical diagnostic test available for gingivitis or periodontitis progression
- Research on peri-implant crevicular fluid and saliva
- Aim to find diagnostic biomarkers before visible signs appear
- Importance of identifying indicators before disease onset
- Potential for improved diagnosis and treatment outcomes
- Continued investigation into finding reliable biomarkers
- Metal and ultrasonic instrumentation may roughen surfaces
- Increased plaque retention as a result
- In vitro studies on special coated scalers and tips
- Compatibility with implant surfaces and minimal damage
- Need for confirmation through in vivo studies
- Importance of patient comfort in scaling procedures
- Comparison of hand scaling and ultrasonic scaling
- Potential impact on patient compliance
- Need for studies on patient perception of comfort
- Implications if hand and ultrasonic scaling are equally effective
Peri-implant mucositis is defined as an inflammatory lesion of the peri-implant mucosa in the absence of continuing marginal bone loss.
The American Academy of Periodontology defines peri‐implant mucositis as a disease in which inflammation of the soft tissues surrounding a dental implant is present without additional bone loss after the initial bone remodeling that may occur during healing following the surgical placement of the implant.
Peri-implant mucositis is largely accepted as the precursor of peri-implantitis and corresponds to gingivitis around natural teeth.
Important criteria to defining peri-implant mucositis are, the inflammation of mucosa surrounding an endosseous implant and the absence of continuing marginal peri-implant bone loss.