Corrosion of titanium dental implants has been associated with implant failure and is considered one of the triggering factors for peri-implantitis. This corrosion is concerning, because a large amount of metal ions and debris are generated in this process, the accumulation of which may lead to adverse tissue reactions in vivo. The goal of this study is to investigate the mechanisms for implant degradation by evaluating the surface of five titanium dental implants retrieved due to peri-implantitis. The results demonstrated that all the implants were subjected to very acidic environments, which, in combination with normal implant loading, led to cases of severe implant discoloration, pitting attack, cracking and fretting-crevice corrosion. The results suggest that acidic environments induced by bacterial biofilms and/or inflammatory processes may trigger oxidation of the surface of titanium dental implants. The corrosive process can lead to permanent breakdown of the oxide film, which, besides releasing metal ions and debris in vivo, may also hinder re-integration of the implant surface with surrounding bone.

The data from the present study demonstrate significantly more bone apposition for the modSLA surface than the standard SLA surface after 2 weeks of healing. This increased bone apposition may allow a further reduction of the healing period following implant placement for patients undergoing early loading procedures.

At present, the exact mechanism for introduction of these materials and their role in peri-implantitis is unknown. Further research is warranted to determine their etiology and potential role in pathogenesis.

This study demonstrates that changes in implant stability measured with the newer magnetic device correlate well with those found with the electronic device. Both devices confirmed the initial decreases in implant stability that occur following placement and identified an increase in stability during the first 6 weeks of functional loading.

It was demonstrated in this study that acidic environments coupled with rubbing are able to introduce noticeable morphological changes and corrosion on the surface of both titanium grades.