Effects of NSAIDs on Periodontal and Dental Implant Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly prescribed group of drugs in dentistry for managing postoperative pain and discomfort. Little is known regarding their effects on the healing of periodontal and peri-implant tissues.

METHODS: The authors conducted a review of the literature to provide an overview of knowledge about NSAIDs and their potential effects on periodontal and implant wound healing.

RESULTS: A Pubmed (MEDLINE) database search was conducted to identify articles evaluating the influence of administration of NSAID drugs on outcomes following periodontal treatments (nine clinical studies) and dental implant placement (four animal studies and two human clinical studies). Conflicting results were found on the effects of NSAIDs during periodontal wound healing. NSAID administration, specifically selective COX-2 inhibitors could inhibit bone formation around orthopedic implants.

CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this review, NSAIDs negatively affected osseointegration of titanium implants. However, quality of evidence from available human clinical studies is poor and there are conflicting results from animal models. Future and better clinical studies are needed to more precisely evaluate the potential effects of NSAIDs on dental wound healing.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Dental surgeons must be aware of the potential effects of NSAID use on osseous healing following common oral surgical procedures such as periodontal and implant therapy.