Peri-implant tissue response to pathological insults.

With the increased use of osseointegrated implants and with many implants functioning for long periods of time, the soft tissue barrier around implants has become more important. This paper reviews the soft tissue response around implants under healthy and diseased conditions and presents the etiology of peri-implant tissue breakdown. Diagnostic techniques such as probing pocket depth, radiographic evidence, and microbial sampling have been analyzed and modified from the periodontal field and used during the maintenance phase of the dental implant. The long-term goal of implant maintenance is to prevent or to arrest the progression of disease, and to achieve a maintainable implant site. Recent reports indicate that peri-implant tissues can be treated with either non-surgical or surgical techniques.