Feasibility of a combination of intraoral UHFUS and CBCT in the study of peri-implantitis.

Publication date: Available online 31 August 2018

Source: Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology

Author(s): Rossana Izzetti, Saverio Vitali, Mario Gabriele, Davide Caramella

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the combination of intraoral ultra-high frequency ultrasound (UHFUS) and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in the evaluation of hard and soft tissues in a case of peri-implantitis.

Methods: A 57-year-old patient was referred for pain and numbness of the chin after implant placement and subsequent guided bone regeneration (GBR) procedure. Clinical examination revealed a hard tumefaction of the mandibular mucosa with mild mobility of the implants. Assessment with UHFUS was undertaken for the study of width, degree of tissue alteration, and vascularity of the swollen mucosa, while CBCT was used to evaluate the bone surrounding the implants and the possible impingement of the inferior alveolar nerve.

Results: A combination of CBCT and UHFUS was effective in the evaluation of GBR complications in peri-implantitis, revealing alterations in the periosteum secondary to suboptimal GBR treatment. This was the first study to use UHFUS to evaluate the characteristics of oral soft tissues.

Conclusions: UHFUS is a promising tool for the diagnosis of complicated soft tissue diseases. When used with CBCT, it can provide useful information on oral and maxillofacial diseases involving hard and soft tissue in a non-invasive way, with reduced radiation dose exposure.

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