Periodontist Dr. Chrysi Stavropoulou was interviewed by UM Today about her MMSF-funded work. You can read the interview here.

Dr. Stavropoulou received funding in 2021 for her project, "Elucidating the role of oral microbes and their metabolites in peri-implant health."

Dr. Stavropoulou's project summary:

Caused by mouth microbes, gum diseases are very common. They can present around teeth and dental implants, and they result in tooth/implant loss at the final stage.

So far, the cause of gum disease around implants is not fully understood. Also, little is known about the role of mouth bacteria and especially fungi around implants. The immune response could also play a role in the development of these diseases around implants.

Our goal is to identify mouth microbes (bacteria and fungi) that are important in gum heath. We also want to understand how bacteria and fungi talking to each other influence inflammation of the gums around implants. Saliva, dental plaque, and gum fluid will be collected once from people with healthy implants and people with diseased implants.

The plaque samples will be processed to isolate microbial DNA. The saliva samples will be analyzed for microbes’ by-products. Analysis of the gum fluid will show the role of immune response in gum disease around implants. Results from this study could assist in planning individual prevention or treatment options for gum disease around implants.

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