A Rationale for Postsurgical Laser Use to Effectively Treat Dental Implants Affected by Peri-implantitis: Two Case Reports

Peri-implantitis is a biologic complication that can affect the survival of a dental implant. Most surgical and nonsurgical treatments have been relatively ineffective even when using targeted antimicrobial approaches. A growing number of reports are documenting the presence of titanium granules and/or cement in the soft tissues surrounding peri-implantitis–affected dental implants. Two case reports are presented demonstrating how the Nd:YAG or a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser used following regenerative surgeries changed failures into successes as measured by radiographic bone fill and improved clinical parameters. These cases suggest that successful peri-implantitis treatment may need to incorporate decontamination of the soft tissues in addition to the implant's surface. Further studies are warranted to determine if each of these lasers would be successful over a larger patient cohort.