Let-7e as Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers in Early Detection of Peri-Implant Diseases: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVES: Peri-implant diseases (PID), specifically peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis, significantly jeopardize dental implant success. Traditional diagnostic methods, relying on periodontal probing and radiographs, have limitations in precisely diagnosing these conditions. Recent studies suggest that microRNA (miRNA) profiling might be a breakthrough in the early detection of PID. This study aimed to evaluate the expression levels of specific miRNAs-miR-98, miR-145, miR-146a, and let-7e-in individuals with peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis compared to a healthy control. METHODS: From January 2022 to October 2023, 19 participants with 38 dental implants were recruited according to established criteria. After clinical and radiographic evaluations, dental implants were grouped as peri-implant health (Group 1), peri-implant mucositis (Group 2), and peri-implantitis (Group 3). Subsequently, peri-implant crevicular fluid (PICF) samples were collected and analyzed through real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). RESULTS: Based on the findings, only let-7e biomarkers were consistently detected across all samples, with their expression increased eightfold in peri-implant mucositis and 94-fold in peri-implantitis cases. Kruskal-Wallis's test showed a statistically significant difference in relative gene expression of let-7e between the different groups, H(2) = 25.825, p ≤ 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that miRNA biomarkers, particularly let-7e, may play a significant role in the development and progression of PID, highlighting the need for further in-depth investigation, with PICF offering a practical, noninvasive sampling method.