Peri-implantitis: All You Want (or not) To Know

In recent years, the use of dental implants for tooth replacement is becoming a common practice and, subsequently, peri-implant diseases are more frequently evident. This course focuses on causes and risk factors for peri-implant diseases, ways to prevent its occurrence as well as the currently available treatment options for peri-implantitis.

Given the increasing prevalence of dental implant restorations and the current scientific literature, it is anticipated that an increasing number of peri-implant diseases will be seen. The reported prevalence in the literature suggests that almost 30 to 50% of implant patients are impacted by peri-implant disease. This would imply that one out of two or three of our implant patients might present with peri-implant disease at some point. This is also an important aspect of informed consent for our patients. Another troubling issue with regards to peri-implant diseases is the lack of appropriate, well-documented gold-standard treatment for peri-implantitis. There are many suggested treatment options described in case reports and case series in the literature; none of them seem to provide a predictable long-term resolution of the disease. In order to prevent and treat peri-implant diseases, there is a need to understand the nature of the disease and the risk factors.