Discomfort/pain due to peri-implant probing at titanium and zirconium implants: A cross-sectional study

Objective: This study was designed to compare discomfort/pain after periodontal and peri-implant probing in patients with titanium compared with zirconium implants. Methods: One examiner recruited and examined 70 patients, each of whom had a dental implant with a contralateral tooth; 37 patients had titanium implants of various types and 33 patients had zirconium implants; one implant was analyzed for each patient. Periodontal and peri-implant probing pocket depth (PPD) and clinical attachment level (CAL) were assessed. Immediately after probing, patients rated their discomfort/pain with a visual analog scale (VAS). The emergence profiles of implant crowns were assessed on periapical radiographs of the implants. Results: Seventy patients with a median age of 55 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 42-65 years), including 43 females and 16 current smokers, were examined. The mean PPD and bleeding on probing (BOP) were higher around implants than around teeth (p < .001). CAL and suppuration were well-balanced between implants and teeth. Peri-implant probing caused significantly more discomfort/pain than periodontal probing [median VAS score: 12.5 (IQR 4-22) vs. 9 (2-15); p < .001]. Logistic regression revealed that discomfort/pain after peri-implant probing was less intense in patients who had taken analgesic medication (p = .021) and around titanium implants (p = .037). Conclusions: Peri-implant probing caused significantly more discomfort/pain than periodontal probing. Patients who had taken analgesic medication experienced less discomfort and pain with peri-implant probing than those who had not; furthermore, titanium implants were associated with less pain than zirconium implants.