Objectives: The aim of this narrative review is to describe the emerging evidence concerning
etiological factors and pathophysiological mechanisms involved in peri-implant inflammatory
diseases.
Material and Methods: An electronic search for articles published until November 2022 was
conducted in MEDLINE by three independent reviewers to identify manuscripts reporting data on
etiological factors and pathophysiological mechanisms associated with peri-implant diseases.
Results: Current evidence suggests that peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis are
inflammatory conditions linked to a microbial challenge. However, in recent years, there has been
increasing evidence indicating that certain peri-implant inflammatory conditions may not be
primarily related to biofilm-mediated infectious processes but rather to other biological
mechanisms, such as a foreign body response.
Conclusion: The current evidence, not only in the dental literature, opens new avenues for a more
complex interpretation of the etiopathogenetic factors involved in peri-implant diseases. A better
understanding of various factors related to the host response, including dysbiosis mechanisms
associated with changes in microbiota composition, is necessary for a more precise physiopathological
characterization of these diseases.
Keywords: Keywords: dental implant; peri-implant diseases; foreign body response; microbial biofilm; periimplant Infection.