Peri-implant diseases at a glance – do we have all the answers?

Abstract

Peri-implant diseases result from chronic inflammatory processes within the tissues surrounding an intra-oral implant. The incidence of the disease is increasing at an alarming rate. Bacterial infections are amongst the several factors that may play roles in the pathogenesis of periimplant diseases. The imbalance between the bacterial biofilm and the host response often leads to tissue destruction. Morphological similarities do exist between the gingiva around teeth and that around the implant, but structural differences in these tissues may possibly influence the host response, and be the reason for the destructive and progressive peri-implant tissue loss. New challenges lie in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of peri-implant diseases. This overview focuses on whether the diagnostic criteria used to assess the periodontium can also be applied to peri-implant tissues.