Immunohistochemical evaluation of inflammatory mediators in failing implants.

It was hypothesized that peri-implant tissue around loosening dental implants may contain cytokines with a potential to regulate osteoclasts. Peri-implant and/or gingival samples from loosened implants, chronic periodontitis (CP), and normal controls (n = 10 samples in each group) were analyzed using immunohistochemical staining to observe tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin 1-alpha (IL-1alpha), IL-6, platelet-derived growth factor A (PDGF-A), and transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha). These cytokines were found in foreign-body giant cells, macrophages, fibroblasts, and epithelial cells.