Info for anyone with any implant & a trip to the DDS!

I didn't know this, so thought I'd pass on what I've learned.

 

Last year I had foot surgery and I had a titanium implant (small rod) put in to replace an arthritic joint in one toe. 

 

So recently I went to the DDS for my bi-annual cleaning.  For whatever reason they asked me to fill out a new health card & one of the questions was about any recent surgery.  I then mentioned the above.

 

Well.....it seems once you've had any kind of body implant or replacement, (knees & hips are the bigger concerns) you need to let your DDS know. 

 

If this is a 'one tooth visit' it's not the problem, but having a cleaning is.  The way it was explained to me is while doing a routine teeth cleaning a lot of bacteria is stirred up & that bacteria can get into your system.  This bacteria may travel throughout your body and find the location where this 'foreign' implant or replacement is located and an infection may occur.  The worse of it would be having the location of the implant get infected enough that you could have to endure the surgery again.

 

So......they had me take to a mega dose of an antibiotic and technically it should be taken before each visit.  According to my podiatrist, this is something I should probably do before every cleaning.

 

I had to laugh cuz I thought it sounded so silly.  What does my foot surgery have to do with my mouth?  So has anyone else here heard of this??

Oh, Renee-

I will refrain from any hoof and mouth jokes....

I know they are very careful about all kinds of medical "conditions" with regards to dental work- especially cleaning...the implant connection had never occured to me, though.

I know that my friend with mitral valve prolapse ( pretty much just a noisy valve) has to take lots of antibiotics pre-cleaning...

It was good of you to mention this!

 

Hope all is well!

 

Margaret

 No implants for me but I do know that my friend who now has 2 new knees has to go on antibiotics a few days before she goes to the DDS for anything.   So guess it's true. 

 

I also know that if you are taking any of the medicines for osteo that you need to let the dentist know because I understand some of that can cause bone thickening in the mouth/jaw area and can cause problems.  

My ortho told me that when I had my knee replacement 5 1/2 years ago.  He also told me that if I had any kind of infection I need to get it treated immediately.  The infection will travel to the implant and cause lots of problems including possible rejection of the implant.

Albany_NY:

I know that my friend with mitral valve prolapse ( pretty much just a noisy valve) has to take lots of antibiotics pre-cleaning...

 

  I have this condition also.  For years I had dental work done... then this was discovered about 10 years ago.  My dentisit had a fit.  Need to be taking antibiotics!!  Recently I switched dentists & they say it is not necessary.  WTH??

 

Yes I've heard of it and in fact my cousin nearly lost his leg last year when the infection settled into his transplanted knee.  They had to remove the implant and heal him with mega antibotics then replace the knee replacement.

Now on that note.I went to my DH's dentist this morning for a bad tooth (I gave up on dentist a long LONG time ago) and of course yahoo dentist thinks he's gonna save my whole dental world with all this cleaning and general CRAP (which everytime I've had them cleaned I've ended up with an abcess!)........I mentioned the titanium rod in my leg and he said it's that the orthoped's screw up (yeah right! I don't believe that for a minute) with the type of implant in knees and hips.

So keep your fingers and toes crossed he doesn't kill me before he gets that tooth pulled out! Then I can be done with him...............................

Well it seems like maybe I'm the only one who didn't know about this.  What I found ironic was, I had the foot surgery done last fall.  I went to the DDS for a cleaning the following spring & for whatever reason they didn't ask & I didn't tell! LOL  I guess I'm fortunate that there wasn't any problem, cuz I would have never linked a toe infection with a dental cleaning!

 

So when I went in just recently and they told me about this I was not only surprised to learn this, but left wondering why my podiatrist never said anything to me about it after surgery.

 

I agree with you thoughts about the DDS and all these cleanings, Dreyfuss.  I go in twice a year , but they must see $$$ when DH walks thru the door as they want him to come in 4 times a year.  I told him he's going to be lucky to have any enamel left on his teeth at this rate! LOL

This antibiotic thing pertains to ANY invasive treatment.  DH recently had two abdominal aortic aneurysms repaired with dacron grafts.  The grafts are inserted into the aorta.   He was told to never have any invasive things done without taking antibiotics first, as any infection will go straight to the foreign thing in the body, and infection in that could be catastrophic!   They were worried about him getting a blood iinfection in the hospital, and that would have gone right to the graft. 

So that would include any teeth treatments and even a cut finger.  Any place where infection could set in.  

If you have any kind of a foreign thing in your body---implants, or grafts of any kind or just anything that was put there for any reason, take those antibiotics!   If a dentist says it's not necessary for teeth cleaning, he is very very wrong.  

ReneeC___NCalif:

 

I agree with you thoughts about the DDS and all these cleanings, Dreyfuss.  I go in twice a year , but they must see $$$ when DH walks thru the door as they want him to come in 4 times a year.  I told him he's going to be lucky to have any enamel left on his teeth at this rate! LOL

 

Renee---many people have their teeth cleaned only twice a year, and that's enough.   But many have gum problems and they need their teeth cleaned more often.   I have to have mine cleaned every 3 months, like your husband, and in my case, it doesn't cost me a cent as it's part of my health care provided my former employer.   So they aren't getting any money from me!    My former employer is the place where I get them cleaned!  

Be glad your DH is willing to go that often, because it is saving him from having dentures.  

That's funny, because I had at least 2 cleanings when I had my neurostimulator in (and it's stainless steel!), and never had any problems.  The only thing I couldn't do was have an MRI.  It interferes with the device since the MRI is magnetized.

 I am so confused by all this, I have assorted "replacement parts" and was given a card saying that I have  hardware throughout my body and that I needed to be given prophylactic antibiotics before teeth cleaning etc. First time to dentist, they wouldn't treat me until I had taken the antibiotics. Next time I got the antibiotics before my appt. everything was fine. Next time when I called for the antibiotics they said there was no need for them?????? Haven't had any antibiotics since then and it has been years. I sure would hate for anything to go wrong. But if Dr. won't give them to you what are you supposed to do?

purselamplady:

That's funny, because I had at least 2 cleanings when I had my neurostimulator in (and it's stainless steel!), and never had any problems.  The only thing I couldn't do was have an MRI.  It interferes with the device since the MRI is magnetized.

 

PPL---Cleanings don't always cause a problem.     It's just that they COULD introduce bacteria into your bloodstream that is the worry.  So be glad nothing happened to you!

And as for the MRI----I saw a demonstration of that machine when the Mayo Clinic got their first one many years ago.   We stood outside of the room and watched through a window.   The tech held a small hammer near the machine and it was turned on.  That hammer was sucked right into the machine!    So any metal in the body except titanium could be pulled right out of a body.   He said even earrings with stainless steel posts could be pulled out of the ears!   Very dangerous contraption if not used correctly.

SuzieQ2:

Albany_NY:

I know that my friend with mitral valve prolapse ( pretty much just a noisy valve) has to take lots of antibiotics pre-cleaning...

 

  I have this condition also.  For years I had dental work done... then this was discovered about 10 years ago.  My dentisit had a fit.  Need to be taking antibiotics!!  Recently I switched dentists & they say it is not necessary.  WTH??

The American Heart Association has changed their protocol on pre-med antibiotics for those with MVP.  That's why you no longer have to take the medicine.

PattiT:

 I am so confused by all this, I have assorted "replacement parts" and was given a card saying that I have  hardware throughout my body and that I needed to be given prophylactic antibiotics before teeth cleaning etc. First time to dentist, they wouldn't treat me until I had taken the antibiotics. Next time I got the antibiotics before my appt. everything was fine. Next time when I called for the antibiotics they said there was no need for them?????? Haven't had any antibiotics since then and it has been years. I sure would hate for anything to go wrong. But if Dr. won't give them to you what are you supposed to do?

Patti...when I questioned the DDS she told me some doctors will require you to take the antibiotics for a 2 year period...when going in for a cleaning, but not a filling.

 

Then when I asked my podiatrist he said for the rest of my life.  Everytime I go in for a cleaning I will need to take the antibiotics beforehand.

 

Maybe it just depends on the doctor.

 

??

Well I'll be darned.  I had no idea about this.  I have four dental implants to anchor my dentures and my neither my oral surgeon or my dentist have ever mentioned this.  I am assuming this applies to dental implants too as they are a foreign metal (titanium) in the body.

 

I am also assuming this would apply to all and any infection one could get - even from a cut that gets infected.