Experimental peri-implant tissue breakdown around different dental implant surfaces: clinical and radiographic evaluation in dogs.

PURPOSE Tissue reactions to 4 different implant surfaces were evaluated in regard to the development and progression of ligature-induced peri-implantitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS In 6 male mongrel dogs, a total of 36 dental implants with different surfaces (9 titanium plasma-sprayed, 9 hydroxyapatite-coated, 9 acid-etched, and 9 commercially pure titanium) were placed 3 months after mandibular premolar extraction. After 3 months with optimal plaque control, abutment connection was performed. Forty-five days later, cotton ligatures were placed around the implants to induce peri-implantitis. At baseline and 20, 40, and 60 days after placement, the presence of plaque, peri-implant mucosal redness, bleeding on probing, probing depth, clinical attachment loss, mobility, vertical bone loss, and horizontal bone loss were assessed. RESULTS The results did not show significant differences among the surfaces for any parameter during the study (P > .05). All surfaces were equally susceptible to ligature-induced peri-implantitis over time (P < .001). Correlation analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between width of keratinized tissue and vertical bone loss (r2 = 0.81; P = .014) and between mobility and vertical bone loss (r2 = 0.66; P = .04), both for the titanium plasma-sprayed surface. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The present data suggest that all surfaces were equally susceptible to experimental peri-implantitis after a 60-day period.