Depression Drugs Linked to Implant Failure

Depression Drugs Linked to Implant Failure

The United

States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in 10 adults

experience depression. Those who seek treatment are often are prescribed selective

serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)—which, according to a new study, may

inhibit the ability of implants to successfully osseointegrate. The findings, “SSRIs

and the Risk of Osseointegrated Implant Failure: A Cohort Study,” published

online in the September Journal of Dental

Research, suggest that SSRIs reduce bone formation and increase the risk of

bone fracture. Because the ability of implants to fuse to bone is directly influenced

by bone metabolism, researchers sought to better understand this association. 

Scientists conducted a retrospective

cohort study that focused on dental implants placed in 490 patients between

January 2007 and January 2013. Data from this 6-year period encompassed 916

dental implants—including 94 implants in 50 patients using SSRIs for the treatment

of depression. Follow-up data revealed that 38 out of the 822 implants placed

in SSRI nonuser patients failed, while 10 out of 94 implants failed in patients

who used SSRIs. It was concluded that SSRI use correlated to an increased risk

of implant failure (4.6% for SSRI nonusers vs 10.6% for SSRI users). Other

factors affected these results, including tobacco use, implant size, and whether

bone augmentation procedures were performed. 

The data confirm that treatment for

depression using SSRIs is associated with an increased risk of implant failure.

The authors recommend that additional research be conducted to further examine

this association.  

Hygiene Connection E-Newsletter

October 2014