Clinical Decision Making for Primary Peri‐Implantitis Prevention: Practical Applications

FOCUSED CLINICAL QUESTION When planning dental implant therapy, what risk-reduction strategies allow practitioners to select patients, sites, and restorative plans that decrease the incidence of peri-implant disease? SUMMARY With a marked increase in the number of patients receiving dental implants to treat partial or complete edentulism, it follows that the prevalence of peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis have increased. Risks associated with implant therapies may vary based upon underlying local, environmental, surgical, patient, prosthetic, and fixture-related factors. Furthermore, an emphasis on preventative measures and maintenance should be undertaken to avoid development and progression of peri-implant diseases. Thorough risk assessment, proper treatment planning, and early diagnosis and intervention are critical in the absence of definitive data of long-term success of treatments for peri-implant condition. Given the difficulty in intervention once peri-implantitis is established, identification of risk factors and development of treatment plans to address those factors prior to dental implant therapy is critical to the long-term health and success of dental implants. CONCLUSIONS A patient-centered, evidence based approach to dental implant treatment planning to reduce the risk for peri-implantitis should be undertaken. Systematic diagnosis of disease state(s) and evaluation of the etiologic and modifying risk factors for peri-implant diseases can yield more optimal outcomes to reduce peri-implantitis rates. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.