Medical History Mysteries: Could your patient’s medications lead to implant failure?

April 15, 2021
In this week’s episode of Medical History Mysteries, Drs. Tom Viola and Pamela Maragliano-Muniz look at three medications your patients may be taking that can affect the success of dental implants.

There is a trifecta of drugs that can lead to early dental implant failure—selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), and methotrexate. These medications can interfere with bone metabolism and affect bone density, factors critical to the success of implants. How severe is the risk of implant failure, and what are the alternatives for treatment planning in such cases?

In this week’s episode of Medical History Mysteries, Drs. Tom Viola and Pamela Maragliano-Muniz discuss these medications, how they affect implants, and three questions to ask your patients before you consider moving forward with treatment.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Through the Loupes newsletter, a publication of the Endeavor Business Media Dental Group. Read more articles and subscribe to Through the Loupes.

Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, is the chief editor of DentistryIQ and editorial codirector of Through the Loupes. Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Dr. Maragliano-Muniz began her clinical career as a dental hygienist. She went on to attend Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where she earned her doctorate in dental medicine. She then attended the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Dental Medicine, where she became board-certified in prosthodontics. Dr. Maragliano-Muniz owns a private practice, Salem Dental Arts, and lectures on a variety of clinical topics. You may contact her at [email protected].