Microbial Network Signatures Associated With Outcomes of Peri-Implantitis Therapy

To investigate the microbial network signatures associated with outcomes following surgical therapy of peri-implantitis.

Microbiological data from a 1-year randomised controlled trial of 28 patients (28 implants) were analysed. Based on a composite outcome (probing depth ≤ 5 mm, minimal bleeding on probing and no further marginal bone loss) at 1 year, implant sites were categorised into a successful (n = 10) or a non-successful group (n = 18). Peri-implant crevicular fluid was collected at baseline and at 3, 6 and 12 months and analysed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

A significant compositional shift from baseline to 1 year was observed in the successful group (p = 0.001), with a significant increase in Rothia aeria (p = 0.048), Haemophilus parainfluenzae (p = 0.033) and Neisseria oralis (p = 0.025) over time. Network analysis revealed that the successful group exhibited a Porphyromonas gingivalis-associated module enriched with high-centrality commensals at baseline, and significantly greater network edge density (p = 0.005) and connectivity (p = 0.018) at 1 year. Spearman correlation analyses at 1 year identified significant negative correlations between P. gingivalis and commensals including H. parainfluenzae, Streptococcus species and Veillonella undefined (p < 0.05).

In this exploratory secondary analysis of a small cohort, favourable outcomes of peri-implantitis therapy were associated with increased microbial network connectivity and commensal centrality.

Korean Clinical Research Information Service number KCT0007900.