Dental work

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Good morning,

I am going on 6 months from my TKR. I had a crown break and the dentist said he has to pull the teeth because it cannot be saved. I am scared to have it pulled because my knee is not completely healed. The dentist said I will be okay as long as I take the antibiotics. Had anyone else had to have dental work before their knee or knees healed?

2

Take the antibiotics as your doc says. You should be good. He has me taking them also for just a cleaning by the dentist. It will be okay. Good luck and happy healing.

3

Its normal procedure to put you on antibiotics before any dental work after any major surgery, its all to do with dotting the i s and crossing the t s.

Don't worry as they will be extra careful with you and so long as you do as your told things will be absolutely fine

4

I was on antibiotics after my first knee replacement for about 5 years before any dental work was done, including a cleaning. After that those my doctor and dentist felt I no longer needed the antibiotics. Thanks for the reminder as I have a dental appointment coming up and I'm 3 months post-op from my most recent TKR!

5

The doc is probably right on. A lot of discussion has gone on regarding this, my doc says always, antibiotics the rest of my life .

6

Varies from country to country, in UK no antibiotics are given for routine dental work after knee replacement, However an extraction is very much more invasive, so I imagine UK dentists would give them for that...I would be interested if anyone in UK has first hand knowledge regarding tooth extraction after knee replacement as practice currently stands in UK...don't worry, it will be fine ..dentist has told you. Long term good oral hygiene will be of more significance most likely....keep cleaning, flossing, and regular trips to dentist as needs be. I am a qualified dental nurse...have not been working in the field as went on to a teaching career later on, hence my interest in different countries policies and extraction!

7

I have a post buried some on this a while ago.

It used to be common practice for dentists to prescribe 2g Keflex an hour or two before dental work for anyone with joint replacements within the past year...some dentists did two years.  However...

The 2015 guidelines from the American Dental Association now state that NO antibiotics are required...none, zero, zilch, nada.  They only recommend them in cases where the patient has a heart condition and then only in consultation with the patient's doctor.

This is from the ADA...

In patients with prosthetic joint implants, a January 2015 ADA clinical practice guideline, based on a 2014 systematic review states, “In general, for patients with prosthetic joint implants, prophylactic antibiotics are not recommended prior to dental procedures to prevent prosthetic joint infection.”

See?  No worries...

 

8

Thank you Chico, I appreciate the response.

9

Thank you Jenny, I feel better after hearing from you guys.

10

Thanks for the response, I feel better now.

11

Thank you so much.

12

Thank you, I appreciate the kind words.

13

Thanks I will take the antibotics.

14

Hi Lynn

I had dental work done 4 weeks after my TKR i had a tooth broke i had a injection in my gum and i didn't have any antibiotics

my dentist told me they weren't necessary

in the last six months i have had two more removed and i have been fine

a little more gummy but fine lol.

15

I am in the UK also.

16

Hi Lynn -- I had dental work 4 months after my TKR. I had to take ant-biotics prescribed by my dentist. Everything was fine. So as long as you talk to your dentist before and informed him/her about your TKR you will be fine.  Many dentists prescribed the antibiotics just to be on the safe side. I rather take then than not to.  Good luck. J-21370

17

Thanks Johnny, you all have put me somewhat at ease.  I am scared of the dentist anyway.😃😃

18

Very interesting and helpful!

19

Mine too Oldfatguy1, couldn't you have picked a better username?  LOL.  I just always feel weird and uncomfortable calling you that.  LOL

20

My surgeon says - any dental work, any infection in your body, any cat scratches - get on the antibiotics for the rest of  my life.