Objectives

The aim of this systematic review is to compare conventional peri-implant flap surgery and reconstructive surgical techniques regarding evidence of remission from peri-implantitis.

Material and methods

Searches were made among randomized controlled trials evaluating clinical aspects and the changes in marginal bone level before and after surgical treatment of peri-implantitis, with and without bone substitute.

Results

Nine published articles and 442 patients were eligible for inclusion in the study. Reconstructive techniques exhibited a greater extent of defect fill than conventional surgical techniques alone. No significant differences could be found for clinical measures of peri-implant disease (bleeding on probing and reduction of probing depth) from baseline to the 12-month follow-up.

Conclusions

With regards to the clinical measures of disease, our review shows that there are no differences between open flap debridement and regenerative surgery. From an esthetic standpoint, it may however be that regenerative measures may lead to improvement but further publications with this focus will be necessary to verify this.