Microbial Analysis of Biofilms on Cement Surfaces: An Investigation in Cement-Associated Peri-Implantitis

The cementation of implant-supported restorations always poses the risk of excess cement retained in the peri-implant sulcus despite careful clinical control. Excess cement can become the basis of colonization by oral microorganisms. As a result of the biofilm formation peri-mucositis or peri-implantitis may develop. Complications were observed in the routine prosthetic restoration of implants when a methacrylate-based cement was used. These developed a few weeks after cementation of the suprastructure and caused bleeding on probing as well as suppuration from the peri-implant tissue. In the revision therapy, excess cement in the peri-implant sulcus was found in many cases. This excess cement was sampled from ten patients and investigated for biofilm formation. For this purpose, the cement samples were collected and analyzed for bacterial in situ colonization by 16S rDNA-based methods. In laboratory experiments, the methacrylate-based cement and two other dental cements were then investigated for their proneness to form biofilm. The results of the in situ and in vitro investigations revealed a strong tendency towards bacterial invasion of the methacrylate-based cement by opportunistic species and pathogens.