The key to peri-implantitis prevention

Martin Wanendeya explains the importance of collaboration.

Dental implant treatment is an appealing option for many patients considering a restorative solution for one or several missing teeth. It has become an effective, predictable and reliable treatment modality in recent years, especially as materials, techniques and technology have advanced substantially within the field. However, dental implants are not without their complications – as the number of implants placed continues to increase, so do the prevalence rates for periimplantitis, which is a significant risk factor for implant failure.

Like periodontitis, it is a destructive, biofilm-associated disease characterised by inflammation of the peri-implant mucosa and subsequent progressive loss of supporting bone. Peri-implantitis affects around 13 per cent of implants and 18.5 per cent of patients, with its incidence rising from 0.4 per cent to 43.9 per cent within three to five years. Despite its predominantly bacterial aetiology, there are various factors that may increase a patient’s risk of developing peri-implantitis. Identifying and addressing these factors before implants are considered is essential to disease prevention and treatment.