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Keywords
Dental implants, peri-implantitis, preventive maintenance
Abstract
Introduction: This study aimed to assess the peri-implant health of patients without maintenance therapy for 3 years.
Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of 30 patients, from a specialization course, non-smokers, having single implants, and that had not taken antibiotics in the previous 6 months or presented any systemic disease that could interfere with peri-implant health. For comparison purposes, it was selected as control the tooth located in the three opposite side of the dental implant. Clinical examination was carried out by a senior examiner, consisting of the following exams: Visible biofilm, probing depth, clinical/peri-implant attachment level, and bleeding on probing frequency. After data collection, means were calculated for proximal regions and free faces, in addition to a general mean for all data. Data were compared and statistically treated by Student's t-test for paired samples and Chi-square (P < 0.05).
Results: The data related to the variables under assessment showed no statistical difference between groups (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: It was concluded that even without implant maintenance therapy, there were no signals of disease progression in single implants for a minimum period of 3 years.
Introduction
Dental implants have provided the population great benefits. If well planned, this therapy is able to give quality of life to patients,[1] overcoming a serious public health problem that is teeth loss related to systemic diseases.[2]
It has been currently known that dental biofilm is able to lead to important problems of the oral cavity[2] and has contributed to the occurrence of systemic complications.[3] Similarly to the natural teeth, dental implants are colonized by microorganisms through a dental biofilm that when in the lack of hygiene aids, may produce an inflammatory process around peri-implant structures.[4]
As chronic periodontitis, peri-implantitis is a tissue destruction of infectious origin. Without proper treatment it may lead to an inflammatory process named mucositis,[5] and as a result, peri-implatitis progression may cause implant failure, many times exactly as occur to teeth.[6] It seems that peri-implant health maintenance is associated to oral hygiene self-care.[7]
Given this, periodontal health and peri-implant area are of extreme value for any type of restorative/rehabilitative treatment, and aware motivation of patients concerning oral hygiene[8]becomes undoubtedly a fundamental preventive measure to the longevity...