Initial Subgingival Colonization of ‘Pristine’ Pockets

Abstract

The treatment of periodontitis/peri-implantitis involves the reduction/eradication of periopathogens. After therapy, beneficial and pathogenic species recolonize the subgingival area. The dynamics of recolonization and especially the role of the supragingival environment in this process are still not well-understood. This prospective, split-mouth study followed the early colonization of 'pristine' pockets created during implant surgery (16 partially edentulous patients), to record the time needed before a complex subgingival flora could be established with the supragingival area as the single source. Four subgingival plaque samples were taken from shallow and medium pockets around implants (test), and neighboring teeth (undisturbed microbiota as reference) 1, 2, and 4 wks after abutment connection. Checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization and culture data revealed a complex microbiota (including several pathogenic species) in the pristine pockets within a wk, with a minimal increase in counts up to 4 wks. Analysis of these data demonstrated that, even with the supragingival environment as the single source for colonizing bacteria, a complex subgingival microbiota can develop within 1 wk.

Microbiological and immuno-pathological aspects of peri-implant diseases

“…Early studies indicated absence of detection of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis, which could allude to the subgingival niche being their source (32, 33). However, later studies indicated that these taxa can be detected in peri-implantitis occurring in fully edentulous patients (11,16,34), indicating that they are not harbored solely in the subgingival region. This means that they are also found at other niches of the oral cavity, such as the soft tissues or saliva, and they are capable of colonizing the pristine implants or the peri-implant tissues of fully edentulous patients.…”

Peri-Implant Infections of Oral Biofilm Etiology

“…4 weeks) subgingival colonization, the frequency of detection of different species is similar between natural teeth and implants. Nevertheless, the colonization pattern on implants appears to be initially slower than on natural teeth (Quirynen et al 2005), given the pristine surfaces of the implant and the lack of the desired indigenous microbiota. The bacterial composition of the biofilm formed on implants closely resembles that of the 9 neighboring teeth (Botero et al 2005;Salvi et al 2008).…”

The impact of smoking and previous periodontal disease on peri-implant microbiota and health: a retrospective study up to 7-year follow-up

“…Studies about the development of biofilms on natural teeth showed that attachment of bacterial occurred within minutes and that the increase in specific species could be detected in a time period as short as 2-6 hours. It is likely that biofilm development on the implant follows a similar course and that maturation is well under way by 2 weeks as provided by Quirynen et al (4).…”