Investigation of Bacteria Species Most Involved in Peri-Implantitis

Purpose: Currently, bacteriological examinations of implant treatments target periodontopathic bacteria such as red complex bacteria, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, and detect them qualitatively or quantitatively. However, it seems that those examinations do not reflect the peri-implant tissue conditions precisely, because periodontopathic bacteria are also frequently detected from healthy peri-implant sites. The purpose of the present study was to investigate bacteria species most involved in peri-implantitis using a PCR method. Methods: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers in this study were designed based on partial sequences of 16S rDNA of bacteria species involved in peri-implantitis that were described in numerous previous studies. Peri-implant sulcus fluid (PISF) samples were collected from thirty periodontally healthy patients with implants (HI) and thirty patients with peri-implantitis (PI). Each detection frequency of bacteria species in PISFs of both groups was investigated using a PCR method, and was compared using Fisher’s exact test. Results: In PI group, detection frequencies of Corynebacterium durum, Fretibacterium fastidiosum and Slackia exigua were significantly higher than those of HI group (p P. gingivalis and Tannerella forsythia belonging to red complex were frequently detected in the PISF samples of HI group (p > 0.05). Conclusion: It was suggested that monitoring C. durum and F. fastidiosum levels in PISF samples was useful as a clinical indicator for the evaluation of peri-implant tissue conditions.