If you’re an implant dentist, brace yourself for some depressing news. Patients who take antidepressants may be 4 times more likely to experience dental implant failure, according to a recent study by University at Buffalo researchers. The research found that the use of antidepressants increased the odds of implant failure by 4 times and the odds of failure doubled for each year of antidepressant use.
What’s the connection? Antidepressants can weaken bone growth, just one of many common side effects, and inhibit new bone from forming around an implant during the healing process. Other side effects of these drugs – such as osteoporosis, akathisia, bruxism, and dryness of the mouth - can also affect the implant healing process.
“Four of the many known side effects that are reported in the literature are a big concern to us as dentists in regard to oral and bone health,” said Latifa Bairam, DDS, an investigator on the study and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry in the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine.
Dr. Bairam and Sebastiano Andreana, DDS, an associate professor and director of implant dentistry at UB, decided to conduct further research when they noticed a growing number of their patients reported use of antidepressant medication. Antidepressants are the 2nd most commonly prescribed class of drug in the U.S., according to IMS Health.
After noticing the high number of patients taking antidepressants, Dr. Bairam and Dr. Andreana analyzed data from the medical charts of UB Dental Clinic patients in 2014. Of the few patients who experienced implant failures, the data revealed that 33% used antidepressants. For patients who did not experience failures, only 11% used the drug.
“We decided that the dental community and the world should be aware of this, and that triggered the preparation of the research,” said Dr. Andreana in the UB press release. “The difference between 33 percent and 11 percent is quite remarkable and needs further in-depth analysis.”
ulochana Gurung, lead investigator of the study and a DDS candidate at UB, will present the findings at the 45th annual American Association for Dental Research conference on March 19. The researchers are planning to build on the study by retesting their results on a larger scale.
In the meantime, Dr. Bairam noted, patients should cooperate with their physician to weigh the benefits of antidepressant medication with the side effects to reach the right balance.
Did you know that Zimmer and Biomet 3i merged their 2 companies in 2015 to form Zimmer Biomet Holdings, reportedly the largest implant company in the U.S.? Read more.