I’m getting conflicting instructions from dentists. I had a hip replacement a few years ago. Now I want to get two dental implants. One dentist says I have to be pre-medicated with antibiotics. The other says that is no longer necessary. Which dentist is right? I don’t want to risk having to re-do my hip, but I wanted a solid tooth replacement.
Phyllis
Dear Phyllis,
A dental implant used to replace a missing tooth
It used to be standard procedure before any invasive dental procedure, such as dental implants, to give a patient who has had a hip replacement antibiotics prior to surgery. The fear was that we risked introducing bacteria which could negatively impact your hip replacement.
However, since 2012, both the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) have reported that it is unnecessary.
That being said, some dentists still prefer to pre-medicate for one of two reasons:
- Abundance of caution when it comes to your hip replacement.
- Concern over bacteria being introduced into your jawbone
Both reasons are designed to protect you from infection. Either decision is probably fine, unless you have an issue which makes you more susceptible to infection. In your case, I’d go with the dentist with the most implant training and experience.
Teeth Whitening with Dental Implants
Once the crowns for your dental implants are placed, the color is permanent. If you’ve ever considered getting your teeth whitened, the most affordable time for you to do it is before you have the porcelain crowns made.
If you wait until after your crown is done, when you do bleach your teeth, the dental crown will stay the same color. That’s fine if it is not visible when you smile, but if it is, your teeth will no longer match. The only way to change that would be to pay for another dental crown to be made.
Doing it ahead of time allows the dentist to match the crowns to your new, white teeth and you’ll have a gorgeous, youthful-looking smile you’ll be proud to share with the world, without having to pay for your crown twice.
I hope this helps answer your question. Best of luck with your implants.
This blog is brought to you by Decatur Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.