Treatment of periimplantitis with an Er: YAG Laser and GBR A case report

The increasing use of dental implants has led to a larger number of periimplant problems. Different therapeutic techniques have been suggested to restore the health of soft and hard tissues. The utilization of laser has been recently suggested for the preparation of implant surfaces and eradication of bacteria. Based on different investigations, there is no evidence of applying both guided bone regeneration (GBR) and laser techniques simultaneously for eradication of periimplant lesions. Case Report: Bone loss was encountered on the mesial and distal surfaces of an implant before prosthetic loading in a female patient. Er:YAG laser and GBR by autogenous bone grafting were simultaneously applied for treatment of the defect. The prosthesis was fabricated and loaded after 4 months. The patient then received periodic clinical and radiographic examinations for 18 months. The bone defects on the mesial and distal surfaces resolved completely. There was no evidence of radiographic or clinical symptoms after 18 months.