Probing single-tooth dental implants with and without prostheses: a cross-sectional study comparing healthy and peri-implant mucositis sites

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate differences in probing depth (PPD) with and without a prosthesis in implants without interproximal bone loss (IBL). Secondarily, to assess whether the difference in PPD measured with and without the crown was affected by diagnosis or implant location. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in patients with a single screw-retained implant-supported crown in the posterior area, without IBL. PPD and was assessed before and after crown removal. A subgroup analysis compared healthy vs. mucositis implants and premolar vs. molar locations. Results: In the 62 implants analysed (23 healthy and 39 with mucositis), the PPD was 1.15 mm (SD = 1.24 mm) deeper without the prosthesis than with it (p < .001). This difference was independent of the implant location (p > .05) except for buccal sites (p = .048). The mean PPD difference for implants with mucositis was 0.95 mm (SD = 1.19 mm; p < .001) while healthy implants had a mean PPD variation of 1.47 mm (SD = 1.29 mm; p < .001). Conclusion: The presence of prosthesis in single-tooth implants in the posterior area without IBL seems to lead to an underestimation of PPD that appears to be significant in implants diagnosed with mucositis, although the difference is even greater in healthy implants. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings. Keywords: diagnosis; implant-supported dental prosthesis; peri-implantitis; probing; single-tooth dental implant.