[Dippydoo]

Dental implants & treatment for multiple myeloma

by Dippydoo on Mon Feb 26, 2018 10:22 pm

I have been having issues with my teeth and I have been discussing dental implants with my dentist. But before I invest a lot of money into implants, I want to make sure they will not interfere or cause problems with any treatment I may need to get for multiple myeloma.

I have MGUS and my teeth are not the best, I have been having issues with a bridge that was not done correctly, so I'm thinking of getting these implants, but I'm kind of scared if I would need treatment later. Would there be any bad side effects from having dental implants while getting multiple myeloma treatment?

Any input would be appreciated.

Hope all is well.

[dianaiad]

Re: Dental implants & treatment for multiple myeloma

by dianaiad on Sun Mar 11, 2018 8:45 pm

The biggest problem with dental surgery and multiple myeloma isn't the multiple myeloma, it's the bisphosphonates, like Zometa.

When I was first diagnosed, I had major dental problems and was going to require extensive dental surgery, such as crowns, whatever, to get my teeth in shape.

I chose to simply get 'em pulled and get dentures. The dentist and my oncologist worked out the timing so that the Zometa wouldn't interfere, and a year after that I got implants to hold my lower dentures in.

I haven't had any problems, but now that I'm on a Zometa regimen, I'm not going to be doing any more implant surgery, either.

Talk to your dentist AND your oncologist. There's a timing issue involved, but if you all work together on it, it should be OK.

[Nancy Shamanna]

Re: Dental implants & treatment for multiple myeloma

by Nancy Shamanna on Mon Mar 12, 2018 9:23 am

I also was worried about taking pamidronate (Aredia) for the second time, in terms of osteo­necrosis of the jaw (ONJ). When I was first diag­nosed with multiple myeloma, I took that bis­phos­phonate treat­ment by infusion for over two years. I think I took between 24-30 treatments, first monthly, and then at longer intervals. After that protocol ended, which would have been in about 2012, I went on without the pamidronate. Now I am taking an aromatase inhibitor called anastrozole (Arimidex) for a different cancer. That drug can have side effects of bone thinning, so my doctors and I were considering that I might go back onto bis­phos­phonates. Last spring, I got all out­stand­ing dental work done, which included crowns and filings, in case I needed to do that. However, that decision has been delayed due to my having fairly normal bone density for my age. I do have good teeth, and so I think it was worth the trouble of getting the dental work done.