Glossary

The marginal peri-implant area refers to the mucosal peri-implant tissues and the crestal bone. This area is of special importance when it comes to determining the health and condition of the tissues surrounding an implant. Some issues that may arise in the marginal peri-implant area include loss of marginal bone, inflammation of the soft tissues, increased probing depth, the development of periodontal disease, and the types of bacteria found around the implant which may lead to increased inflammation and disease. When it comes to the rate of healing following an implant procedure, the amount of tissue damage and the procedure method used both play a part in the length of time that will be required. Typically, less tissue damage, a cleaner incision, and avoiding the use of flap surgeries all lessen the amount of time needed for healing. In the event of infection in the marginal peri-implant area, antibiotics are prescribed to eradicate the pathogen.

A marking bur is a rotary cutting tool used to score the bone at the site of an osteotomy. The use of a marking bur reduces the risk of crestal bone damage and helps to establish how deep an osteotomy will go. An osteotomy is any procedure which removes or changes the shape of the bone. In dental applications, it is performed in preparation for the placement of an implant or other dental prosthesis. Since there is a limited amount of bone available for implant placement even in a patient with substantial quality bone, the use of tools such as the marking bur helps the surgeon avoid mistakes in both angulation and depth during an osteotomy. This ensures that the bone available is not damaged due to a failed osteotomy and that a bone grafting procedure is not then needed to rebuild the lost bone.