A pragmatic approach to manage
peri-implant biological complications
Introduction
Peri-implant biological complications, i.e., peri-implant mucositis or peri-implantitis, are frequent after implant installation. Prevalence rates of peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis present a wide range due to inconsistency in the used disease definitions. It is estimated that almost every second patient is affected by peri-implant mucositis and about every fourth to fifth by peri-implantitis of some extent (Derks & Tomasi 2015; Diaz et al. 2022; Salvi et al. 2019). Due to these high numbers and the constantly increasing number of implant installations (Klinge et al. 2018), diagnosis and management of peri-implant biological complications are integral parts of the daily clinical work.
Diagnosis
The World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri‐Implant Diseases and Conditions from 2017 established diagnostic criteria for peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis (Renvert et al. 2018). Peri-implant mucositis is defined as (1) presence of inflammation around the implant (i.e., redness, swelling, line or drop of bleeding within 30 seconds of probing), combined with (2) no additional bone loss after initial healing (figure 1).
Peri-implantitis is identified by (1) signs of inflammation similar to mucositis, (2) radiographic evidence of bone loss after initial healing and (3) an increase in probing depth compared to measurements taken shortly after placing the prosthetic reconstruction (figure 2). In the absence of previous radiographs, radiographic bone level of ≥ 3 mm along with bleeding on probing and probing depths ≥ 6 mm, indicates peri‐implantitis.
The expected bone loss after initial healing attributed to marginal bone remodelling, varies based on factors such as the implant system or type. For instance, 1–2 mm bone loss is generally considered “normal” for bone level implants with an external connection (figure 2d, implant in position 23).
A Mnemonic Approach to Radiographic Precision
To achieve consistent and comparable radiographs over time without overlapping implant-threads, a simple mnemonic rule can be followed: “right blur, raise beam & left blur, lower beam – RBRB/LBLB” (see figure 3 adapted from Schropp et al. 2012).
Oral hygiene aspects
Since the primary etiologic factor for peri-implant biological complications is the oral biofilm, two crucial aspects should always be considered as integral part of the treatment independent of a diagnosis of peri-implant mucositis or peri-implantitis: (1) the level of oral hygiene, and (2) the cleanability of the prosthetic restoration (figure 4).
Thus, both the patient's oral hygiene routines and the prosthetic restoration’s design and implant positioning should support effective cleaning. If required, adjustments to the existing restoration (figure 5) and specific instructions for tailored oral hygiene measures are essential (figure 6) (Hamilton et al. 2023; Jepsen et al. 2015).
Chemical agents (e.g., antiseptics, local antibiotics, acid treatment or anti-microbial photodynamic therapy) as adjuncts to mechanical plaque control are often used. However, due to a lack of sufficient data, there is no consensus on the potential benefit of additional chemical measures as adjunct to patient-administered plaque control measures (Gennai et al. 2023). Efficacy of adjunctive measures in peri-implant mucositis. A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 1–27.) and a comprehensive disease resolution is typically challenging to attain without professional intervention (Salvi & Ramseier 2015).
Management of peri-implant mucositis
The concept of treating peri-implant mucositis is comparable to the treatment of gingivitis. The main approach is professional plaque control, aiming to mechanically disrupt the biofilm without altering the implant or abutment surface. Various methods using mechanical means are described in literature: curettes, (ultra)sonic scalers, air-polishing devices, laser application, etc. with or without the use of antimicrobial agents. Currently, no method has been consistently shown to be superior compared to others, while the use of systemic antibiotics is not recommended for the treatment of peri-implant mucositis (Dommisch et al. 2022; Gennai et al. 2023; Hallström et al. 2012; Herrera et al. 2023; Verket et al. 2023).
The choice of equipment depends on clinical circumstances, such as the distinction between calculus and soft plaque. Thus, in cases with calculus, titanium or plastic curettes, or specially designed tips for ultrasonic scalers should be used first, followed by the use of an air-polishing device (figure 7). In cases with only soft plaque accumulation, an air-polishing device alone can be sufficient. Air-polishing devices are operator and patient friendly and at least as efficient as standard instruments (Schwarz et al. 2015a).
To sum up, non-surgical treatment can be effective in addressing mucositis, serving as an essential step in the prevention of peri-implantitis. However, reports often indicate only modest and unpredictable improvements in crucial clinical and inflammatory outcomes, i.e., in reduction in bleeding on probing (BOP). In addition, there is a considerable risk of reinfection, and complete disease resolution is therefore not achievable in every single case of peri-implant mucositis (Herrera et al. 2023).
Management of peri-implantitis
Defect extent, implant position, and its strategic importance determine whether an implant can or should be treated. Similar to a non-treatable (hopeless) implant, a severely affected implant in a multiple-unit restoration may be irrelevant for treatment, as its loss does not compromise the prosthetic restoration. Consequently, it is advisable to consider explantation either upon diagnosis or during surgical intervention (figure 8).
Management of peri-implantitis at implants judged as treatable consists of a non-surgical phase, which is often followed by surgical intervention. For the non-surgical approach, similar measures as those applied for the treatment of peri-implant mucositis are used; based on laboratory experiments air-polishing devices with a subgingival nozzle appear to provide certain advantages in terms of biofilm removal, compared to hand- or ultrasonic instruments (Herrera et al. 2023; Moharrami et al. 2019; Ronay et al. 2017) (figure 9).
Yet, the non-surgical approach often has limitations in accessing the implant surface, leading to insufficient decontamination. This is indeed reflected in the clinic, where disease resolution after non-surgical treatment of peri-implantitis is rather unpredictable and recurrence is observed for most cases, i.e., disease resolution was reported to occur only in less than every second case (Ramanauskaite et al. 2021). Therefore, the outcome of non-surgical treatment needs to be evaluated after about 6 weeks, and in cases of moderate or advanced peri-implantitis, surgery should be expected.
The prosthetic restoration should be removed during both non-surgical and surgical treatment to improve access to the implant surface. The choice of surgical intervention (e.g., resective, reconstructive, or combined) depends on several factors: (1) defect morphology (e.g., horizontal, dehiscence, intra-osseous, or combined) (figure 10), (2) implant surface (i.e., turned or modified/”rough”), and (3) presence or absence of sufficient keratinised and attached mucosa.
A resective approach (i.e., gingivectomy and/or apically positioned flap, with/without bone re-contouring) should be chosen in cases with mainly horizontal bone loss or wide defects, where the potential for bone regeneration is limited (figure 11).
For implants with a modified surface and in regions where bone regeneration is unlikely, implantoplasty should be considered. This procedure involves removing implant threads and smoothing of the micro-structured implant surface with rotating instruments (figure 12). This approach facilitates comprehensive decontamination of the implant surface, and – most importantly – improves postoperative biofilm control (Bertl and Stavropoulus 2021; El Chaar et al. 2020; Geremias et al. 2017). Due to a lack of sufficient clinical evidence there is controversy about the role of implantoplasty (Herrera et al. 2023; Ramanauskaite et al. 2021), however the concerns about inducing inflammation by the inevitable deposition of titanium particles and the increased risk of implant fracture due to reduction of implant strength have not been substantiated (Stavropoulos et al. 2019).
A reconstructive approach is recommended for implants with modified surfaces and intra-osseous defects, where the potential for re-osseointegration is much higher (Monje et al. 2023; Renvert et al. 2009). This may encompass the utilisation of autogenous bone, bone substitutes, and/or membranes (figure 13) (Donos et al. 2023). Certainly, a reconstructive approach necessitates thorough decontamination of the implant surface. Both laboratory and preclinical studies indicate the impracticality of achieving complete biofilm removal from the implant surface (Subramani & Wismeijer 2012). Therefore, it is recommended to employ a combination of mechanical and chemical measures for effective decontamination, although no specific method can be considered as superior (Ramanauskaite et al. 2023; Wilensky et al. 2023). Air-polishing devices have demonstrated superior efficacy in biofilm removal based on several laboratory studies (Francis et al. 2022; Keim et al. 2019, Sahrmann et al., 2015). However, it is important to note that the intra-operative use of air-polishing is considered off-label.
Antibiotics as adjunct to surgical peri-implantitis treatment may be considered when a reconstructive approach, e.g., with bone substitute materials, is chosen (Heitz-Mayfield & Mombelli 2014), but otherwise standard use of antibiotics as adjunct measure to surgical peri-implantitis treatment is not recommended (Herrera et al. 2023).
Finally, it has been observed, that implants with less than 2 mm of keratinised mucosa exhibit an increased prevalence of peri-implantitis, and higher plaque accumulation and bleeding indices (Ramanauskaite et al. 2022). This highlights the importance of considering keratinised mucosa augmentation in peri-implantitis prevention and management (figure 14).
Conclusion
Treatment measures of peri-implant biological complications aim at infection and inflammation control, similarly to gingivitis and periodontitis. However, (1) although treatment of peri-implant mucositis is often successful, complete disease resolution may not be achievable in every single case, (2) bone loss progresses faster at implants compared with teeth, (3) non-surgical treatment is most often insufficient for peri-implantitis, (4) the type and extent of surgical intervention depends on defect morphology, implant surface, and the amount of peri-implant keratinised mucosa, and (5) the long-term outcome of peri-implantitis treatment is still largely unknown.
References
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