Study Shows That Antidepressant Medicine Could Affect Dental Implant Success

A study conducted by a team from McGil University in Montreal shows that people who take antidepressant medicine are twice as likely to have their dental implants fail.

Some examples of common antidepressants are Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, Paxil, and Celeva.

These medicines have selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) which are a class of compounds typically used as antidepressants in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and some personality disorders.

“Because antidepressants, which are widely used around the world, are reported to increase the risk of bone fracture and reduce bone formation, we were curious to see how they might affect dental implants,” says Prof. Faleh Tamimi, the lead author on the study and a professor in McGill’s School of Dentistry. “Even so, we were surprised to discover that the negative effect of SSRIs on dental implants was so strong, almost equal to that of smoking, a well-established hazard for oral health.”

The McGill researchers based their data on past the records of dental implants done over a 6 year period (2007-2013), in a New Brunswick clinic. They compared the success rate of dental implants from each patient’s check-up appointments.

“Unfortunately, because this study was based on data collected after the implants had been done rather than through interviews with incoming patients, it is impossible right now to determine the kind of SSRI dosage that could have this effect,” says Tamimi. “But what this study tells us is both that further work needs to be done in the field and that whether they are planning to have dental implants or hip or knee prostheses, SSRI users should consult their physicians and plan carefully to ensure that the surgical treatment is successful.”

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