Objectives: The aim of this review was to search the literature for the existing evidence of re‐osseointegration after treatment of peri‐implantitis at contaminated implant surfaces. Material and Methods: A search of PubMed as well as additional hand search of articles were conducted. Publications and articles accepted for publication up to November 2008 were included. Results: A total of 25 animal studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria for this review. Access surgery with closed healing has been observed to positively influence the rate of re‐osseointegration when compared with non‐surgical decontamination of the implant surface with open healing. Open debridement including surface decontamination may result in re‐osseointegration and this integration was more pronounced on rougher than on smooth implant surfaces. The adjunctive use of regenerative procedures resulted in varying amounts of re‐osseointegration. Conclusions: Re‐osseointegration is possible to obtain on a previously contaminated implant surface and can occur in experimentally induced peri‐implantitis defects following therapy. The amount of re‐osseointegration, varied considerably within and between studies. Implant surface characteristics may influence the degree of re‐osseointegration. Surface decontamination alone can not achieve substantial re‐osseointegration on a previously contaminated implant surface. No method predictably accomplished complete resolution of the peri‐implant defect.