has anyone experienced loosening of dental implants while on prednisone? I have been on pred for over 3 1/2 yrs. I am at 4 1/2 mg and have tried only Eileen's dead slow reduction, but symptoms return at 4 mg. about 1 1/2 yrs ago I lost my back molar ( implant). Oral surgeon tried bone graph so perhaps a new implant could take its place but my body rejected it. Now the implant next to that empty space is suffering the same fate. Antibiotics not working, continual tooth ache and appointment Mon with oral surgeon. Regular dentist suspects this is caused by pred. Any similar stories out
there?
hi Roda
i know several people have had implants and I'm sure they will respond. i had a dental implant literally just as i was diagnosed. meaning all the work was done and tooth was being placed on as i eas going on prednisone. my surgeon told me he would not do implants on persons on prednisone. i forget the reason but as I've said several people have had them. maybe it has to do if you need a bone graff. Mariane
Hi Roda,
I have been on Preds for over six years now, for PMR & GCA ,at the moment 6mg, the lowest I have been down to is 41/2mg. I had 4 implants with temporary crowns 4 weeks ago. My dentist was obvoiusly aware of the preds and I had an MRI scan for bone density where the implants were going and a blood test for blood clotting. After 2 weeks the crowns came loose, so the dentist took them off and screwed them back in. So far so good but early days yet! I also had to have bone grafts. Approx 4 months of waiting and hoping now. I read about people on this site that have had successsful implants, so I am sorry to hear about yours.
Hi Roda, I was diagnosed with PMR November 2014 and had dental preparation and bone graft in March 2015, at that time I was on 15mg of pred. Implantologist told be to double up pred the day before, the day the work was getting done and the day after. My gums had to be slit open and he had to drill into bone, my implants were done in 3 stages which took nearly a year. I have had no problems whatsoever. At present I am down to 3mg pred and am hoping to start the DSNS method on Sunday to try and get down to 2.5. The one thing I refused to take was Aledronic Acid to protect the bones and I requested a Dexa Scan but Rheumy said further down the line. This summer I learned I had osteoporis in my lumer spine and left hip, so I will never know whether it was pred that lead to the osteporosis or I had it before starting steroids. Hope you get sorted. Regards Pat
I have 6 crowns and all 6 came loose while on the pred plus 4 loose teeth as well the dentist says there is nothing he can do to fix it and I will in time have to have false teeth on the bottom
Hello Roda, I embarked on this implant route a few weeks ago, my implantologist did not think it would be a major problem, I doubled the dose of pred only the day of the procedure for the bone graft, I have to wait 6 months now for the implant posts, so won't have any idea until then if the bone graft has taken.
Before I embarked on this I did write on this site and there were more positive answers than negative, so I have gone through with it.
I do have a single implant, which I had 5 plus years ago pre steroid treatment.
I wish you all the best, and I too am worried but I suppose what will be will be, take care.
Yes I lost 3 last year..one with a bridge atatched...my jaw bones were so hard the dentist had to saw out the roots She had proceeded too far for me to go to hospital took 3 hours to get out one tooth. She said thank god I didn't take allendroic acid!
Anyway Pred has cost me nearly £5000 worth of really top class dental work !
Thanks for your input, Marianne. I left out that both these two implants were pre PMR. Have four others, all pre pred, so of course I am very concerned about all of them! Should have opted for false teeth!
thank you, Lindylulu.... 6 yrs is discouraging enough! Let's hope your implants work. I waited for bone graph to take on my first failure and as I remember body rejected it. I go Sat and assume this annoying implants is on its way out. So tired of taking Advil! Good luck...you serve it!
Happy to hear a success story! I do have osteoporosis in hips and allowed my rheumatologist to persuade me to take injectable Prolia. Was told it doesn't act like Fossomax or AAcid but now I'm concerned. Gynecologist says same but I worry. Of course my first failed implant was over a yr ago so has nothing to do with Prolia. Good luck and thanks
This where I am afraid I'm headed! Sorry to hear but luckily they were crowns, not implant So! Still all too expensive. Thanks for "Misery likes company!" Good luck!
"What will be will be"... That's my mantra! Hope the bone graph take Some! Good luck!
ye God! How sad! I guess this time "blame it on Prednisone" is all too true! Seems like I constantly say that it's prednisone's fault. Love it and hate it. Just praying the implants on the other side of my mouth don't follow the same path. Thx for writing. Appreciate.
I think that because pred can sometimes cause bone thinning this could well be the cause of your problem. I asked at a dental appointment why my teeth seemed to be getting so crooked and all I got as an answer was with age teeth can move slightly. In retrospect I realized I'd noticed this when I was on my highest dose of pred, and I actually have felt the past few months that this is no longer happening. The teeth seem to have settled into their new place and are not shifting any more. As the jaw is the place most vulnerable to bone thinning (because of relatively rapid cell turnover) this makes sense to me as my pred dose has been what's considered a low level for some time.
hi pat
my implants yook almost 1 year from start to finish and that included grafts but luckily just finished as i was going on prednisone. as for bone density scans i get one done yearly.
I'm surprised you haven't but i too refus6to go on bone density drugs. I'm just waiting my new results so i hope no change since I've been on high doses for over 1 year but i eat dairy like i should own a cow. Mariane
Interesting...At 4 1/2 mg, I hope I'm past lose teeth but always a chance! Thx!
Hi maid mariane, yes about 1 year all in all for implants and at 15mg of pred. I did request a Dexa Scan just after diagnosis but Rheumy said further down the line. I had already been diagnosed with PMR by a locum dr. at my gp so it was 4 months after when I saw Rheumy, he prescribed A Acid, I already had an appointment set up for the next day to see my gp and I told her I would not be taking A Acid. I'll take my chances. I did have a Dexa Scan about June/July this year and it showed Osteoporis in lumber spine T score -3.7 and left hip -.9. So even with the results I will not be taking A Acid. I have to see the Rheumy end of October. He can stand on his head and whistle Dixie if he thinks I will be taking A Acid. No Go Area for me. Regards Pat
Good for you, Pat! What are you doing to help slow or even reverse the bone thinning? I also refused the meds, only so far have femoral t-score -2, never given one for spine and don't have this year's results yet . Expect to get all results next GP visit. But I've spent the past year and more taking my supplements including calcium as calcium hydroxyapatite as I had read this form best absorbed by people on prednisone. Also take a vitamin K2 supplement. I walk a lot, have taken up Nordic walking and tai chi, and wear a weighted walking vest every few days, very slowly increasing the weights I carry. I am burning with curiosity to know what changes if any have occurred in my t-scores over the past year. 
i hear you pat. i got my scan within 1 week of starting prednisone so we had a baseline and as i said I'm writing my 1yr results. my rumi wanted me on AA and i too said no my density was great.
when i got my scan this time the technician was pushing to change my mind on taking meds if my bones got worse. she was pushing the yearly injection and saw improvement in patients . i just said I'll cross that bridge if and when it comes.
take care
Hi Anhaga, I am not taking anything to slow down or reverse bone thinning besides adcal and vitamin D and that's when I remember. One of my visits to gp told me that my calcium was a bit high but nothing to worry about and I believe him. I don't really do dairy, a bit of cheese now and again, I don't drink milk, and don't eat yogurt. I cannot walk very far. I used to be able to walk 4 miles in just over an hour. Since PMR and Pred both my calves pulled when I started to walk after about 2 minutes - I had to get my son to walk with me as I needed to stop and lean on him for a bit. My walking has improved and although both calves pulled at the beginning, it is now only my left calf, that pulls, my left side seems to be weaker, even my upper arm. So from having bi-lateral pulling, it is now just left calf. I loved the freedom walking gave me but alas and alac no more. Well not just at present, maybe someday. I'm down to 3mg pred and hoping to start Sunday on DSAS to get to 2.5mg. I must research the K2 supplement. You seem to be doing okay and also putting a lot of effort into getting well. Good luck. I am going to request a Dexa Scan June/July 2017 and see where I am with the osteoporosis. Regards Pat