Cement-associated peri-implant mucositis. A 1-year follow-up after excess cement removal on the peri-implant tissue of dental implants

BackgroundMethacrylate-based cements seem to promote peri-implant tissue inflammation even in the absence of excess cement. PurposeThe present study deals with the question of whether the removal of methacrylate cement from the peri-implant sulcus will lead to peri-implant tissues free of inflammation on a 1-year follow-up basis. Material and MethodsImplant supported suprastructures that had been in the mouth for at least 3.5 years either cemented with methacrylate (premier implant cement [PIC]) or zinc eugenol (temp bond [TB]) cement were compared. All superstructures in 33 patients with a total of 61 implants (35 with PIC and 26 with TB) were removed and excess cement, bleeding on probing (BOP), suppurationen and probing depth were documented. Excess cement found was removed, and in all cases the suprastructure was recemented with TB. Patients were followed up after 4 weeks (F1) and 1 year (F2). ResultsExcess cement was found around 60% of the implants with PIC. No excess cement was found around implants with TB. At the time of revision therapy, BOP was found around 100% of the implants with PIC and excess cement (PIC+), 93% around implants with PIC but no excess cement (PIC-), and around 42% of the TB-cemented implants (Chi-squared P<.01). Suppuration was observed in 86% of the PIC+ implants, in 14% of the PIC- implants and in 0% of the TB implants (Chi-squared P<.01). At the time of both F1 and F2, the inflammation parameters, that is BOP and suppuration, on implant level were significantly reduced in the PIC+ cases (McNemars test P<.01). For PIC-, BOP was significantly reduced at both points in time (P<.05). For TB no differences were found. Probing depth at F2 had significantly decreased in all groups (t test P<.05). ConclusionThe removal of excess cement and recementation with TB had an anti-inflammatory effect on the peri-implant tissues after 1 year.