Clinical peri-implant sounding accuracy in the presence of chronic inflammation of peri-implant tissues. Clinical observation study.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess if the probing pocket depth is a reliable clinical parameter in the evaluation of the depth of the peri-implant sulci. In case of chronic inflamed peri-implant tissues, this evaluation is useful for understanding the level of bone resorption.

METHODS

The study enrolled 22 patients. All of them were diagnosed for a peri-implantitis and were scheduled for a resective surgery with implantoplasty. During the surgery, a full thickness flap was raised and resective surgery was performed as well as an implantoplasty procedure. Peri-implant probing values before the surgery (PAL) were recorded, as were values of bone resorption after flap elevation (DIB), at all four sites around each implant (88 sites).

RESULTS

The mean value of PAL calculated for all 88 sites was 5.67 mm (+/-1.46); the correspondent value of DIB was 6.37 mm (+/-1.81). In 52 sites out of 88 (59.1%) the values of PAL and DIB were exactly the same (maximum difference 0.5 mm). In only 10 cases (11.3%) the difference between PAL and DIB was >2 mm. The mean values for PAL and DIB were not statistically different.

CONCLUSIONS

Authors have concluded that in case of chronic inflammation of peri-implant tissues, the probe reaches the bone pick, allowing the clinician to have reliable information on the actual bone resorption.