Patients with artificial joints: do they need antibiotic cover for dental treatment?

The document attached has been archived with permission from the Australian Dental Association. An external link to the publisher’s copy is included.This study reviews whether patients with artificial joints need antibiotic cover for dental treatment. Generally in Australia the practice has developed of giving most patients with artificial joints antibiotic prophylaxis for a wide range of dental procedures. This is partly on anecdotal grounds, partly historical and partly for legal concerns. It has been encouraged by some guidelines. Scientifically, the risk and the benefit of each step in the process needs to be analysed. This review shows that the risk of an artificial joint becoming infected from a bacteraemia of oral origin is exceedingly low whereas the risk of an adverse reaction to the antibiotic prophylaxis is higher than the risk of infection. If all patients with artificial joints receive antibiotic prophylaxis then more will die from anaphylaxis than develop infections. Factors which balance the risk benefit are if the patient is seriously immunocompromised, if the joint prosthesis is failing or chronically inflamed and if the dental procedures, such as from extractions and deep periodontal scaling, produce high level bacteraemias. Recommendations to rationalize antibiotic prophylaxis for patients with artificial joints are presented.JF Scott, D Morgan, M Avent, S Graves and AN Gos

Bacteriemia during endodontic treatment in relation to the technique of biomechanical preparation: randomized clinical trial Bacteriemia durante o tratamento endodôntico em função da técnica de preparo biomecânico: ensaio clínico randomizado

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the frequency of bacteriemia during endodontic treatment, with comparison between two techniques for biomechanical preparation of the root canal system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample comprised 50 patients aged 16 to 52 years, of both genders, which were divided into 2 groups with 25 patients each. Group I underwent biomechanical preparation by the step-back technique, and Group II was treated by the rotary technique with nickel-titanium instruments (K3). Patients were submitted to antisepsis of the oral cavity with chlorhexidine digluconate and three samples of blood were collected for blood culture: preoperatively, immediately after the biomechanical preparation and 10 minutes later. The significance level adopted was 5.0%, and analysis was performed by descriptive and inferential statistics by means of the Fisher's exact test, Fisher-Freeman-Halton test and Student's t test. Data were analyzed on the Statexact and SPSS softwares. RESULTS: All blood cultures achieved before and immediately after preparation were negative. On the other hand, with regard to the blood cultures collected 10 minutes after preparation, one (4%) positive case was found for Group I. However, this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.50). CONCLUSION: The frequency of bacteriemia was low and observed just for Group I.<br>OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste ensaio clínico randomizado foi avaliar a freqüência de bacteriemia durante o tratamento endodôntico comparando duas técnicas de preparo biomecânico do sistema de canais radiculares. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: A amostra constou de 50 pacientes, com idade variando entre 16 e 52 anos e de ambos os sexos, sendo dividida em 2 grupos de 25 pacientes. No Grupo I, realizou-se o preparo biomecânico através da técnica escalonada com recuo progressivo programado, e, no Grupo II, por meio técnica rotatória, empregando instrumentos de níquel-titânio (K3). Os pacientes realizaram anti-sepsia da cavidade bucal com gluconato de clorexidina e foram realizadas três coletas de sangue para hemoculturas: no pré-operatório, imediatamente após o preparo biomecânico e 10 minutos depois. O nível de significância foi de 5,0%, e foram utilizadas técnicas de estatística descritiva e inferencial através dos testes exato de Fisher, Fisher-Freeman-Halton e "T" de Student. A análise dos dados foi realizada através do programa Statexact e SPSS. RESULTADOS: As hemoculturas tomadas antes e imediatamente após o preparo, foram todas negativas. Já nas hemoculturas, realizadas 10 minutos após o preparo, foi encontrado um caso (4%) positivo no Grupo I. Esta diferença, entretanto, não foi estatisticamente significante (p = 0,50). CONCLUSÃO: Concluiu-se que a freqüência de bacteriemia foi baixa e observada apenas no Grupo I