Methatexrate and teeth

[Bully915]

Hi hope you all are.feeling ok have a question to ask has any one managed to get tooth implants as over the last few years have had to get some out or filling through NHS due to meds I live in Scotland but.not sure if you can asked my dentist but shes not sure either

Thanks Billy

[AgedCrone]

Do you mean are people with RD physically able to have implants, or if implants are available on the NHS?

I'd go back & ask your dentist to investigate if it's possible & the cost....as presumably she would be doing them?

[medway-lady]

Implants aren't usually available on the nhs if at all, not here anyway !!! and its not done by your average dentist. At a cost around here of £3000 a tooth, is that what your asking? If so I've got a fixed bridge also hugely expensive but worth it as the rest of the teeth are mine but lost 2 falling off a set of parrell bars many years ago, and had redone last year cost £2500. I was offerred an implant but it was possible to fit in a bridge. No one would ever know, although went 4 weeks without old bridge and no front teeth. Much to my husbands fun.! You need to get a really good dental surgeon who can do implants its best to go by your regular dentists recommdation.

[Jan101050]

I have implants for a few years now. They were done privately as NHS will not cover this treatment. I was on Methotrxate and stopped this medication two weeks before transplant and for one week after. You really need to shop around for a good dental surgeon to carry out this procedure . Ask your rheumatologist for advice if you are not sure about medication. It wasn't cheap but worth it for me anyway.

[Og69]

Hi Bully915,

I had an upper molar crack during a routine root canal. My own dentist was ill so I was passed to another dentist at the same practice who was extremely rude and impatient, and after cracking the tooth, told me he could "patch it up" or "extract it". I chose the latter option, but it left me with a one-sided chewing ability.

I moved practices, and spoke with a partner who specialised in implants, and decided on a two implants, side by side, to improve my eating routine. I gave the partner all the details of my RA, medications, and the particular biologic I was being infused with, (Remicade). I was given a price, (not cheap, as you can imagine), and with no mention of any negative aspects to the work being undertaken.

I subsequently discovered that the implants, which were set with an adhesive which was supposed to "weld with bone", did not combine with my own body tissue and immune system, resulting in me having to have antibiotics during any future check-ups or fillings.

Had I been made aware of this problem, I may well have declined the treatment, and saved myself an awful amount of inconvenience and not a little money.

I hope that this missive will help in your decision to have tooth implants.

[Bully915 in reply to Og69]

Hi thanks for getting back I contacted our Scottish government dental minister and was told that if your dentist can put you through for treatment at the dental hospital but not a guarantee that they will do it.

billy

[4tunate]

All the above helpful as I have been on Methotrexate for many years also Alendronic acid, for osteoporosis. Recently had a tooth extracted which took 2 hours due to tough bone fused with tooth root. An implant has been suggested. A bridge not advised as all my teeth have crowns as a result of having Sjorgren’s Syndrome (as well as RA) and a bridge might not be stable over time, so a waste of money, says dentist.