The peri-implant health in patients attending an annual recall program. A clinical and microbiological study in 74 patients from the Tübingen Implant Registry.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the peri-implant condition of unselected implant recall patients, to relate it to relevant features from the patient medical history, and to look at associations across these findings.


METHODS
Prior to their most recent recall appointment, 74 individuals underwent a clinical and microbiological (PCR) investigation.


RESULTS
Signs of a serious peri-implantitis condition were not encountered in this patient cohort. However, a high prevalence of moderate plaque and bleeding on probing (60% and 78%, respectively) and PCR proof of periodonto-pathogenic bacteria (43% positive for one or more target species) was apparent. The mean pocket probing depth was 2.9 mm. The by far most prominent co-morbidity belonged to the group of patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD; 27%). CVD were statistically significantly associated with the prevalence and concentration of Prevotella intermedia in the peri-implant sulcus (P = 0.022). Age was positively associated with plaque load (P < 0.001). The Tanerella forsythensis score and prevalence was higher in implants supporting fixed than removable restorations (P = 0.025). Four of the five bacteria species assessed showed a high association with each other (exception: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans), but not to other hygiene findings.


CONCLUSIONS
A considerable number of individuals exhibited peri-implant findings that would require anti-infective treatment. Prevalence and concentrations of periodonto-pathogenic bacteria seemed to be associated with a variety of other variables from the patients' history, but not to clinical findings in this patient group.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Center of Dentistry, Oral Medicine and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Department of Prosthodontics and Medical Material Sciences, Center of Dentistry, Oral Medicine and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Stefan
S
Lachmann
Anna
A
Stehberger
Detlef
D
Axmann
Heiner
H
Weber
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D015897:Comorbidity; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057873:Peri-Implantitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries