Towards a better diagnosis and prognosis in peri-implant disease from a microbiological perspective. a narrative review

With the increasing popularity of dental implants among patients as a treatment alternative for edentulousness of various causes, the occurrence of implant complications is continuously rising. The need to know the latest techniques for managing these complications is vital for clinicians. There is currently no data in the literature on possible biological or mechanical complications of this approach. The aim of this review was to identify, in the specialised literature databases, established pathogenic microorganisms associated with peri-implant disease and to observe their grafting onto the implant surface after the application of implantoplasty techniques. The search was performed in databases such as PubMed, Google Academic, Web of Science and Cochrane Library and was conducted for the last thirty years (1993 – 2023). Different combinations of keywords, treatment alternatives of peri-implant pathology, as well as pathogenic microorganisms, involved in the occurrence of the disease were used for the search. We identified elements of etiopathogenicity (dental plaque and smoking), molecular biology mechanisms involved in peri-implant pathology, and we detailed possible particular developments of invasive peri-implant therapies. Conclusions implantoplasty is a modern treatment alternative for peri-implant pathology. Using sensitive and specific methods (e.g., sequencing), numerous bacterial species associated with dental implants have been identified. In conclusion, implantoplasty requires careful prospective evaluation from microbiological point of view.