Resolution of a Peri‐Implantitis Defect Using Sterile Saline for Implant Surface Detoxification: A Case Report With Clinical Re‐Entry

Abstract

Introduction: Peri‐implantitis is an inflammatory disease involving the soft and hard tissues surrounding a dental implant. Its prevalence is increasing, and, if left untreated, it can lead to the loss of the implant. Decontamination of the implant surface is a primary prerequisite to successfully treat this disease. The best way to accomplish this is still a source of controversy. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of a clinical re‐entry in a human showing almost complete osseous fill of a deep circumferential infrabony peri‐implantitis lesion after mechanical debridement with a curet and chemotherapeutic detoxification with only sterile saline.Case Presentation: A patient presenting with an infrabony peri‐implantitis lesion was treated with mechanical debridement with a curet and chemotherapeutic detoxification of the implant surface with sterile saline, followed by osseous grafting and guided bone regeneration in an effort to eliminate the defect. At the completion of treatment, after clinical re‐entry, there was almost complete fill of the infrabony component of the osseous defect with a bone‐like material that closely approximated the implant surface.Conclusion: It is possible to effectively clean a dental implant surface using only mechanical debridement with a curet and chemotherapeutic detoxification with sterile saline on a cotton pellet to an extent that will allow for fill of the infrabony component of an osseous defect after the use of regenerative therapy.