Efficacy of systemic use of antibiotics as an adjunct to nonsurgical treatment of peri-implantitis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

This article presents a meta-analysis evaluating the efficacy of systemic antibiotics—specifically metronidazole and amoxicillin—as adjuncts to nonsurgical mechanical debridement (MD) in treating peri-implantitis, a chronic inflammatory condition affecting tissues around dental implants. Analyzing five randomized controlled trials involving 211 patients, the study found no significant improvement in probing pocket depth (PD) at 3 and 6 months with adjunctive antibiotics compared to MD alone, though a significant PD reduction was observed at 12 months. Additionally, adjunctive antibiotic use showed significant short-term benefits at 6 months in reducing bleeding on probing (BOP), Plaque Index (PI), and bone loss (BL). The authors conclude that while systemic metronidazole and amoxicillin do not consistently enhance PD outcomes, their impact on other clinical parameters suggests potential value, warranting further well-designed trials to clarify optimal dosing and treatment protocols.