Impact of Subgingival Lactobacillus reuteri Probiotic Therapy on Clinical Outcomes and Porphyromonas gingivalis Quantification in Peri-Implant Disease: A Prospective RT-PCR-Based Clinical Study.

Both mechanical debridement alone and mechanical debridement combined with L. reuteri probiotic showed significant intra-group improvements in clinical and microbiological parameters at three months.

• All clinical parameters (PI, GI, PPD, and CAL) improved significantly within both groups from baseline to three months
• P. gingivalis levels also showed significant intra-group reductions in both groups
• Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05 and both groups met this threshold for intra-group comparisons
• Study included 52 participants aged 30-60 years, all systemically and periodontally healthy individuals with peri-implantitis

Group 2 (mechanical debridement plus subgingival L. reuteri probiotic) exhibited significantly greater reductions in plaque index, gingival index, probing pocket depth, clinical attachment level, and P. gingivalis levels compared with Group 1 (mechanical debridement alone).

• Between-group differences were statistically significant with P = 0.00 for all measured parameters
• Parameters assessed included PI (plaque index), GI (gingival index), PPD (probing pocket depth), and CAL (clinical attachment level)
• P. gingivalis quantification was performed using RT-PCR for microbiological evaluation
• Assessments were conducted at baseline and at three months post-treatment

A prospective randomized clinical study design was used with 52 participants divided equally into two treatment groups.

• Group 1 (n = 26) received mechanical debridement alone
• Group 2 (n = 26) received mechanical debridement combined with subgingival application of Lactobacillus reuteri probiotic
• Participants were systemically and periodontally healthy individuals aged 30-60 years with peri-implantitis
• Data were analyzed using paired and independent t-tests, with P < 0.05 considered significant
• RT-PCR was used for microbiological evaluation of P. gingivalis levels

Mechanical debridement alone has limited effectiveness in managing peri-implantitis due to persistent microbial burden.

• Peri-implantitis is described as a biofilm-induced inflammatory disease that compromises peri-implant tissues
• Management through mechanical debridement alone is described as 'often limited by persistent microbial burden'
• Adjunctive probiotic therapy was proposed to improve peri-implant health and oral wellbeing
• The study framed probiotic therapy as having 'potential relevance to broader public health outcomes'