Treatment of ligature-induced peri-implantitis using guided tissue regeneration: a clinical and histologic study in the beagle dog.

This study evaluated the treatment of ligature-induced peri-implantitis using guided tissue regeneration (GTR) around submerged and nonsubmerged implants in beagle dogs. Two titanium implants were placed bilaterally in the premolar regions of the mandible in each of 10 beagle dogs. Cotton floss ligatures were placed around the implant necks and no oral hygiene procedures were performed for 5 months. Periodontal surgery was performed, and in five dogs (submerged group) the abutments were removed and an e-PTFE barrier was placed to cover the test implants and their adjacent osseous defects, while the control implants received no barriers. In the other five dogs (nonsubmerged group), flap surgery was performed without removing the abutments. In the test sites, an e-PTFE barrier was placed around the abutment and adjacent defects, while on the control sites no barrier was placed. Nondecalcified specimens were prepared using standard histologic methods and analyzed. No differences were found between any of the clinical parameters in both the control and experimental sites from the submerged and nonsubmerged groups. Histologic and histomorphometric analyses also revealed no significant differences between groups with regard to new bone formation. In the experimental (GTR) groups, however, the amount of regenerated connective tissue was significantly greater than on the control groups. Under the conditions of this study, the treatment of peri-implantitis using GTR did not enhance clinical parameters or bone formation around "diseased" implants.