The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons board of directors recently approved new criteria concerning infection prevention.
The criteria aim to clarify what antibiotic administration is appropriate prior to various dental procedures when treating patients with artificial joints or implants.
Here's what you need to know:
1. The appropriate use criteria include 64 scenarios to help clinicians gauge the risk related to the type of dental procedure, given the patient's implant status and overall health. The scenarios list antibiotic types and dosages, when applicable.
2. Most patients with hip, knee or shoulder replacements are not at risk for infection following dental procedures and do not need to receive antibiotics, since antibiotic overuse can lead to bacterial resistance to future treatment.
3. A minority of patients — who may have compromised immune systems due to AIDS, recent joint infection or another condition — should consider antibiotics prior to dental care, to ensure an infection during the procedure does not allow bacteria to travel through the blood stream to the implant location.
4. Should bacteria infect the implant, the patient will likely require surgery to sterilize the infected area and to replace the infected joint.