Impact of maintenance therapy for the prevention of peri-implant diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The main aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the impact of maintenance therapy on the incidence of the development of peri-implant diseases, in patients treated with dental implants. It included 13 articles for qualitative analyses and 10 for quantitative analyses; all concerned clinical trials on humans, and all reported the incidence of peri-implant diseases, in patients either enrolled or not enrolled in maintenance therapy after dental implant treatment.

The review presents a positive relation between implant maintenance therapy and the health of the peri-implant tissues, as well as the implant survival rate. The hypothesis of plaque-dependency should be considered the primary etiological factor for peri-implant disease, however, other contributing risk factors, such as a history of periodontitis, also need to be explored.

The authors highlight the importance of tailoring the maintenance programme according to the existing risk factors of the specific patient. A minimum recall interval of 5 to 6 months is suggested, but again, individual risk factors need to be considered. Nevertheless, it is concluded that biological complications may occur, even when the patient is enrolled in a strict maintenance therapy.