Effect of sterile tetracycline ophthalmic ointment as an adjuvant to mechanical debridement on the treatment of peri-implantitis: A randomized controlled clinical trial

Background. Peri-implantitis is an infectious disease that affects the tissues around dental implants, with clinical signs of inflammation and irreversible loss of supporting bone. This study aimed to compare the effect of sterile topical tetracycline ophthalmic ointment as an adjuvant to mechanical debridement with mechanical debridement alone in the treatment of peri-implantitis.

Methods. In this single-blind randomized clinical trial, 32 patients (16 patients in each group) with peri-implantitis were treated topically using sterile tetracycline ophthalmic ointment. Four clinical parameters, including modified bleeding index (mBI), modified plaque index (mPI), probing depth (PD), and clinical attachment level (CAL), were measured at baseline and at 3- and 6-month follow-up intervals.

Results. PD reduction was statistically significant after 3 and 6 months in the test and control groups (P=0.001). Also, mPI and mBI reduction rates were significant in the test and control groups (P=0.001) after 3 and 6 months. However, in all the samples in the two groups, the mean of CAL before and after treatment was constant, with no significant difference (P>0.05).

Conclusion. Using sterile ocular tetracycline ointment could be an adjunctive treatment in improving and enhancing the therapeutic effects of mechanical debridement in the treatment of peri-implantitis. (IRCT20210909052418N1)