Effect of alveolar ridge preservation on peri‐implant mucositis and peri‐implantitis prevalence: A multicenter, cross‐sectional study

Abstract Objectives Alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) is a procedure with the aim to reduce bone resorption that occurs after tooth extraction, facilitating the following implant placement. The aim of this cross‐sectional study was to evaluate the prevalence of mucositis and peri‐implantitis around implants inserted in sites treated with ARP and to investigate possible risk factors. Materials and methods Patients who received at least one dental implant inserted in a grafted socket were considered eligible for this study. Patients were recalled for a follow‐up visit; medical history, clinical and demographic data were collected. Univariate logistic regression analyses have been performed for both implant‐level and patient‐level variables. Indeed, moderation analysis was used to investigate the indirect relationship between age and marginal bone level. Results Fifty‐one patients who received 61 implants were enrolled in this cross‐sectional study. Thirty‐three implants were classified as “healthy” (54.1%), 23 implants showed signs of peri‐implant mucositis (37.7%), and 5 implants were diagnosed with peri‐implantitis (8.2%). Data analyzed at the patient level showed that 49% of the patients were healthy, 45.1% of the patients had mucositis and 5.9% of the patients were affected by peri‐implantitis. Mandibular sites and type III grafted sockets showed a significant association with peri‐implantitis; in addition, a history of periodontitis and an increase in age showed higher risks of developing mucositis or peri‐implantitis. Conclusions Implants inserted in grafted sockets showed favorable rates of healthy implants in the long term. Clinical relevance The ridge preservation procedures do not seem to increase the risk of developing mucositis or peri‐implantitis.