Purpose: To evaluate the additional benefits of the adjunctive use of systemic antibiotics in the non-surgical and surgical treatment of peri-implantitis.
Materials and methods: A systematic search following the population, intervention, comparison, outcome and study design framework was conducted across the MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase and Web of Science databases. The primary outcome was probing depth reduction, and the secondary outcomes were bleeding on probing, clinical attachment level, radiographic bone level changes, suppuration and clinical success. Data on outcome variables were pooled through random effects meta-analyses.
Results: Eight articles (seven studies) were included. For non-surgical interventions, systemic antibiotics reduced probing depth significantly after 1 year (n = 4; mean difference 1.33, 95% confidence interval 0.84 to 1.82; P 0.01), and also led to significant benefits in probing depth reduction at 3 and 6 months, clinical attachment level gain at 1 year (n = 3; mean difference 1.31, 95% confidence interval 0.68 to 1.95; P 0.01) and suppuration reduction at 3 months; however, no significant differences were found in bleeding on probing at 3 and 6 months, or clinical success at 1 year. For surgical treatment, antibiotics reduced probing depth significantly after 6 months, but no significant differences were noted after 1 year. Systemic antibiotics resulted in a significant increase in radiographic bone level after 1 year (n = 2; mean difference 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.31 to 1.61; P 0.01) and a higher chance of clinical success (n = 2; odds ratio 2.16, 95% confidence interval 1.04 to 4.50; P = 0.009). In the combined analysis of non-surgical and surgical treatments for probing depth reduction at 1 year, systemic antibiotics showed a significant advantage (n = 5; mean difference 0.98, 95% confidence interval 0.56 to 1.40; P 0.01). Benefits extended to clinical attachment level gain, bone gain and increased likelihood of clinical success at 1 year.
Conclusion: Non-surgical treatment of peri-implantitis with adjunctive systemic antibiotics led to significant benefits in probing depth reduction, clinical attachment level gain and suppuration reduction at 1 year. Surgical treatment with adjunctive systemic antibiotics showed significant benefits in terms of bone gain and clinical success at 1 year. Nevertheless, the variability in antibiotic protocols should be considered. The adjunctive use of systemic antibiotics should be evaluated with caution, as the benefits may not outweigh the risks of antibiotic resistance in less severe cases of peri-implantitis.