Dental work and Alendronic Acid

[Indigo2417]

I have been reading up on posts here and I just wanted to check up that I’m doing the right thing. I mentioned in a previous post that I’ve had trouble with a crown at the front. It came out two weeks ago and the dentist cemented it back in temporarily. I can’t have that one replaced permanently or a new one because the root is fractured. So today, I’ve been to the dentist again and had the crown removed and the root extracted. Have got a temporary plate with one tooth on it for the time being. Going back in two months to see if the gum has settled down so I can have a bridge, with the tooth attached to the next door one. Dentist said I need to take care not to bite hard on anything and upset the wound in the gum. Have got to rinse with salt water solution after eating to keep it clean. I read somewhere that I should have stopped my Alendronic acid before the extraction, but the dentist didn’t mention it. I’ve been on it since 2021. I know it can inhibit the healing process sometimes. I had a checkup and a X-ray at my previous dentist before I went on AA and she was relaxed about it. I assume the important thing now is to keep the gum clean and wait for it to heal. Dentist said if I get any trouble to go back and see him.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

As far as I know, AA doesn't inhibit healing of the soft tisse, pred might but you can't stop that. Where AA MIGHT be a problem is the bone healing but stopping it now after 3 years is unlikely to help. The risk of that happening is very small and is more likely for patients who have been on the very high doses of infused bisphosphonates for cancer treatment.

Your dentists have obviously been of the enlightened variety - and your broken root was likely to cause more problems if left in than taken out. Oral hygiene is important and not disturbing the clot in the socket - because you do NOT want a dry socket to develop as that can be awful. And straight back to the dentist at any suggestion of a problem!

All the best.

[Indigo2417 in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks PMRpro. I know I’ve got to keep it scrupulously clean. I’ve never heard of dry socket. At the moment, I’ve taken the plate out as I had some soup at lunchtime and I’ve rinsed out with saline solution. I struggled in the surgery to get it out as it’s a neat fit. I know when it’s settled down it will be easier as I’ve had one tooth on a plate before, many years before AA. I’m just a bit wary of putting it back in and puncturing the clot. He’s given me some gauze in case it starts bleeding again, but I hope I won’t need it. I didn’t know whether to leave the plate out until tomorrow morning, to let the clot set a bit more.