Clinical, microbiological and osteoimmunological findings in different peri-implant conditions - A cross-sectional study

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of certain microbiota and their potential correlation with clinical parameters, expression of proinflammatory cytokines, Notch signalling pathway molecules and bone remodelling mediators among different peri-implant conditions. Materials and Methods: Included participants had at least one dental implant minimally 1 year in function. They were divided into peri-implantitis (PI), peri-implant mucositis (PM) and healthy implants (HIs) groups. Prevalence of P. ginigvalis, Fusobacterium spp., EBV and C. albicans was detected in participants' crevicular fluid (CF) using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, different markers' expression, as well as clinical data, were correlated with the microbial presence. Results: CF samples taken from one chosen implant from each of the 102 participants were analyzed. Significantly higher levels of P. gingivalis were found in PI compared with HI (p =.012) and PM (p =.026). Fusobacterium spp. was also more prevalent in PI (p =.041) and PM (0.008) than in HI. P. gingivalis was a predictor of PPDi (p =.011, R-2 = 0.063) and CALi (p =.049, R-2 = 0.038). A positive correlation was found in PI for the level of Fusobacterium spp. and TNFa expression (rho = 0.419, p =.017) while in PM, P. gingivalis and Notch 2 expression were correlated (rho = 0.316, p =.047). Conclusions: P. gingivalis appears to be involved in the osteolysis in patients with PI, while the positive correlation of its level with Notch 2 expression in patients with PM suggests a potential involvement of P. gingivalis in the progression of PM into PI.