Pain and morbidity after non-surgical and surgical treatment of peri-implantitis

Objective: Not much information exists on post-treatment pain related to peri-implantitis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate intensity and quality of pain after non-surgical and surgical treatment of peri-implantitis. Material and methods: A total of 30 patients with a diagnosis of peri-implantitis were included in the study. The patients registered pain using a VAS scale after non-surgical and surgical treatment of peri-implantitis. The data were registered for one week after each treatment. The patients also recorded quality of pain and if analgesics were taken. Factors included in the study were number of implants, severity of peri-implantitis (millimetre bone loss at most severely affected implant), implant localization, smoking and gender. Results: Statistically significant difference in intensity of pain was found between day zero and day one for both non-surgical and surgical treatment of peri-implantitis (p < .05). Number of implants, severity of peri-implantitis, implant localization, smoking and gender were not statistically significant related to intensity of pain post-treatment. The most frequently reported quality of pain was throbbing/soreness and numbness for both non-surgical and surgical treatment. Conclusion: Levels of pain are found to be low to moderate for most patients after treatment of peri-implantitis. The pain was most pronounced on the first two days post-treatment. Throbbing/soreness and numbness were the most frequently reported quality of pain.