Implants found effective despite periodontitis

Every dentist loves a good challenge. So why not try multiple implants on a patient with generalized aggressive periodontitis (GAgP)? According to a new study in the Journal of Periodontology, partially edentulous subjects treated for GAgP can be rehabilitated successfully with osseointegrated implants, even though they show more bone and attachment loss than periodontally healthy patients.

Researchers observed five patients with GAgP and five periodontally-healthy patients treated with osseointegrated implants, over a period of ten years.

Although there was no significant difference between plaque levels and probing depths, the gingival index at the implants of the GAgP patients was higher than the periodontally-healthy patients. The GAgP patients had greater (1.3 mm) bone loss than periodontally healthy patients' loss (0.77 mm). Also, while implant survival rate in periodontally healthy patients was a 100 percent, in GAgP patients, it was 83.33 percent.