Dental implants became one of the major preferred treatment options to replace missing teeth for 100 million people, yet over one million implants fail to integrate and lose supporting bone due to peri-implantitis. Multiple etiologic factors have been identified to contribute to this devastating disease, and today’s presentations will allow us to understand the prevalence of peri-implantitis as well as lead to a deep understanding of potential treatment options that have been proven to be successful in the prevention of the disease progression.

Bacteria have co-evolved with humans, adapting not only to genotypic idiosyncrasies, but also to behavioral and lifestyle changes. Together, the human and the microbiome we host form a ‘holobiont’, with these organisms playing a vital role in maintaining our physiology and health. Moreover, these dynamic communities form ecosystems within various niches in the human body, and by virtue of this lifestyle, are extremely responsive to shifts in the local environment. Thus, the microbiome acts as a ‘canary in the coal mine’. As clinicians and biologists, the session will focus on harnessing the capabilities of the microbiome to promote health and to act as prognosticators of impending disease states as well as biomarkers of disease activity.

The predictability and long-term success rate of dental implants are well documented in the literature. Nevertheless, complications and failures do occur and can have a significant impact on overall treatment. Peri-implantitis is one of the most common biological complications affecting functional implants. Even though the exact causes of peri-implant diseases is the bacterial biofilm, numerous factors may increase the risk of developing peri-implantitis. Risks may be reduced and even eliminated if some related factors are controlled. This lecture will discuss risk indicators to identify susceptible patients so that a customized treatment plan can be provided for each patient, depending on the relevant needs. Also, it will evaluate common problems encountered with the restorative phase providing an understanding of how and why problems exist and ways to reduce them.