Objective:

To establish the prevalence of dento-alveolar foci among patients with hip or knee periprosthetic joint infections (PJI) and compare clinical outcomes between patients with and without dental foci.

Approach:

• Study Design: Retrospective cohort study conducted at a university hospital from January 2020 to December 2023, involving patients with confirmed PJI and standardized dental assessments.
• Patient Selection: Inclusion criteria required confirmed PJI diagnosis and completion of a dental assessment; cases with primary permanent fistula and amputations were excluded.
• Data Collection: Medical records were reviewed for comorbidities, and dental evaluations included clinical assessments and panoramic radiography.
• Statistical Analysis: Data analyzed using SPSS Statistics; Gaussian and non-Gaussian data were assessed with appropriate statistical tests.

Key Findings:

• The study analyzed 213 PJI cases with a mean patient age of 71.9 years.
• Dento-alveolar foci were identified in a subset of patients.
• DAIR failure and the need for revision surgery were compared between patients with and without dental foci.

Limitations:

• Retrospective design may introduce selection bias.
• Uncertainty in dento-alveolar focus determination due to limitations of two-dimensional imaging.