Effect of Peri-Implant Mucositis on Long-Term Implant Survival: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: An inflammatory disorder of the soft tissues surrounding dental implants, peri-implant mucositis (PIM) can impair stability and functionality. The purpose of this study was to assess how PIM affected peri-implant clinical parameters and implant survival. Methods: A cross-sectional observational data study (September 2023 to March 2024) included 120 patients with 210 implants for over 24 months. Clinical evaluations included marginal bone loss, plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), implant stability (ISQ), and probing depth (PD). BOP was used to diagnose PIM without radiographic bone loss. SPSS version 26 was used to analyze the data. Using chi-square and independent t-tests, p < 0.05 was deemed significant. Results: PIM was found in 78 implants (37.1%). When compared to healthy implants, PIM implants had significantly higher PI (1.62 ± 0.41 vs. 0.82 ± 0.34), BOP (28 (21.2%) vs. 54 (69.2%)), PD (3.5 ± 0.7 mm vs. 2.1 ± 0.6 mm), and bone loss (1.24 ± 0.32 mm vs. 0.45 ± 0.19 mm), as well as lower ISQ values (68.3 ± 3.9 vs. 72.8 ± 4.1; all p < 0.001). Poor dental hygiene and smoking were strongly linked to PIM. Overall, 96.2% of implants survived, and there were moderately negative correlations (r = -0.41 to -0.48, p < 0.001) between the severity of mucositis and survival indicators. Conclusion: Higher levels of plaque accumulation, increased bleeding, deeper probing depths, and decreased implant stability are all linked to peri-implant mucositis. PIM might jeopardize the health of the peri-implant tissue, even though overall implant survival is still high. Keywords: Dental Implants, Peri-implant Mucositis, Implant Survival, Probing Depth, Bleeding on Probing, Plaque Index, Marginal Bone Loss.