title: Perceptual changes in the peri-implant soft tissues assessed by directional cutaneous kinaesthesia and graphaesthesia: a prospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The innervation of skin and oral mucosa plays a major physiological role in exteroception. This innervation is also clinically relevant as sensory changes occur after neurosurgical procedures.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to compare the perception of mechanical stimuli applied to the buccal mucosa in the vicinity of osseointegrated oral implants with that in the controlateral dentate side. The role of the previously reported increased innervation in the peri-implant soft tissues in the oral sensorimotor function was thus examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen subjects with 20 implants were tested. Directional cutaneous kinaesthesia (DCK) and graphesthesia (G) were performed on the buccal side of the alveolar mucosa before and at planned intervals after implant placement. The observation was pursued until 6 months after the prosthetic rehabilitation. In each subject, the contralateral mucosa served as a control to the implant sites. Average percentages of correct responses in a four-choice task for DCK and a three-choice task for G were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite an intersubject variation in both the DCK and G, high intraindividual correlations were found (p < .005). The implant sites showed a significant difference toward the control sites at the four interval test for both tests. For DCK and G, the average of correct responses decreased after abutment connection (i.e., after the implant uncovering surgery) to increase afterwards to reach a level close to, but still lower than, the control sites 3 to 6 months after the prosthetic rehabilitation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The DCK and G are simple but reliable sensory tests that can be easily applied in the oral region. This prospective study indicates that tooth loss reduces tactile function compared with implant-supported prostheses. The peri-implant soft tissues could be partially involved in the osseoperception function.
authors: Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Saint-Joseph University, Campus of Medical Sciences, Damascus Road, Beirut, Lebanon. pascale.habrehallage@usj.edu.lb
authors: Pascale
authors: P
authors: Habre-Hallage
authors: Nada Bou
authors: NB
authors: Abboud-Naaman
authors: Herve
authors: H
authors: Reychler
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: van Steenberghe
authors: Reinhilde
authors: R
authors: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000044:Dental Abutments; D015921:Dental Implants; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D056228:Feedback, Sensory / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007699:Kinesthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D016348:Osseointegration / Q000502:physiology; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013236:Stereognosis / Q000502:physiology; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants