Agradecimentos: Valentim A. R. Barão was supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) (2020/05231-4) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) (304853/2018-6 and 307471/2021-7). Bruna E. Nagay was supported by FAPESP (2019/17238-6). Raphael Cavalcante Costa was supported by FAPESP (2020/10436-4). Victoria Abdo was supported by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível (Finance code 001). Graphical abstract created and adapted from "Wnt Signaling During Cardiomyocyte Differentiation" template, by BioRender.com (2022 - license number: CZ23IPRJV5) Ver menos

Abstract: Candida albicans, an oral fungal opportunistic pathogen, has shown the ability to colonize implant surfaces and has been frequently isolated from biofilms associated with dental implant-related infections, possibly due to its synergistic interactions with certain oral bacteria. Moreover, evidence suggests that this cross-kingdom interaction on implant can encourage bacterial growth, leading to increased fungal virulence and mucosal damage. However, the role of Candida in implant-related infections has been overlooked and not widely explored or even considered by most microbiological analyses and therapeutic approaches. Thus, we summarized the scientific evidence regarding the ability of C. albicans to colonize implant surfaces, interact in implant-related polymicrobial biofilms, and its possible role in peri-implant infections as far as biologic plausibility. Next, a systematic review of preclinical and clinical studies was conducted to identify the relevance and the gap in the existing literature regarding the role of C. albicans in the pathogenesis of peri-implant infections Ver menos