Use of colorimetry as a diagnostic tool for early detection of peri-implant diseases

The increasing aesthetic demand in dentistry and the limitations of visual colour assessment have encouraged the development of objective methods for evaluating dental and peri-implant tissues. Although colourimeters were originally designed for tooth shade matching, their application has recently expanded to peri-implant soft-tissue analysis, providing quantitative and reproducible measurements capable of detecting early inflammatory changes.

This study aimed to determine whether colour analysis using a colourimeter is a valid diagnostic tool for the preliminary detection of peri-implant diseases by comparing colourimetric data with conventional clinical findings.

A cross-sectional, descriptive, and experimental study was conducted on 63 dental implants. Peri-implant soft-tissue colour was recorded using a colourimeter based on CIELab parameters (L∗, a∗, b∗). Each implant also underwent clinical evaluation including visual inspection, periodontal probing, and periapical radiography. Two measurement points were analysed: Point A, located 2 mm apical to the gingival margin, and Point B, positioned beyond the probing depth for each implant. Colourimetric values from both points were compared with the clinical diagnosis obtained for every implant.

At Point B, peri-implant tissues showed lower luminosity (L∗), higher redness (a∗), and reduced b∗ values compared with Point A. Clinically, 48 implants presented peri-implantitis, 9 mucositis, and 6 were considered healthy. Diseased implants demonstrated darker and more reddish peri-implant tissues, revealing a clear correlation between colour alterations and inflammatory status.