Peri-implantitis
Pronunciation: peh-ree-im-plan-TY-tis
An inflammatory condition affecting the soft and hard tissues surrounding an osseointegrated dental implant, resulting in progressive bone loss.
Full Definition
Peri-implantitis is a plaque-associated pathological condition characterised by inflammation in the peri-implant mucosa and progressive loss of supporting bone, analogous to periodontitis around natural teeth. It is distinguished from peri-implant mucositis, which involves mucosal inflammation without bone loss and is considered reversible. In dental research manuscripts, the 2017 World Workshop case definition requires radiographic bone loss beyond normal remodelling (> 0.5 mm after the first year of loading) combined with bleeding on probing. Editors should ensure the hyphen is retained ('peri-implantitis', not 'periimplantitis') and that case definitions are explicitly stated.
Usage
Usage note: Always hyphenate: 'peri-implantitis'. Clearly distinguish from 'peri-implant mucositis' (soft tissue only, no bone loss) in any manuscript where both conditions are discussed.
In Context
- "Peri-implantitis was diagnosed in 18% of implants, defined as probing depth ≥ 6 mm with bleeding on probing and radiographic bone loss > 2 mm." — Cross-sectional study results
- "The manuscript omits the hyphen in 'peri-implantitis' throughout; standardize to the hyphenated form per the 2017 classification." — Copy-editing correction note