Peri-Implantitis: a Case Report and Literature Review

Peri-implantitis is an inflammatory disease involving mucosa and alveolar bone occurring around dental fixtures. In determining severity and extent of peri-implantitis, the diagnostic process consists to score the damage of periodontal tissues, as expressed by probing depth and loss of clinical attachment. A 54-year-old female underwent to insertion of two implants in the symphyseal area. After one year, one of these became mobile with clinical signs of inflammation: there was no suppuration, an increased probing depth (3-4 mm), and high plaque. A pen-apical film showed the presence of radiolucency in the most coronal part of the implant and a granulomatous tissue was present upon removal on the most coronal part of the implant. The microscopically examination showed the presence of connective tissue on both sides of implant. No inflammatory infiltrate was present in the connective tissue. A rim of osteoblasts was observed on bone margins. The bio-film development on dental implants surface plays an important role in the onset of peri-implantitis. Therapy proposed is similar to periodontitis treatment, although implant surface facilities the adherence of bio-film bacteria and makes difficult to treat it so that the final solution is the fixture removal in most cases. Here a clinical case is reported, the histological findings described and the pertinent literatures discussed.