DENTALCARE PACKAGE

Taking medication does not automatically rule out dental implants, but some medicines can affect bleeding, healing, infection risk, blood glucose or the planning of surgery and anaesthesia. Give the dental team a complete, current medication history, including prescriptions, injections, over-the-counter medicines and supplements.

Do not stop or change a medicine simply because implant surgery is planned. The dentist needs to consider the specific treatment, why you take it, your medical history and the proposed surgery. Reviewing medications before dental implants helps identify any coordination needed before the appointment.

What Medications Should You Tell the Implant Dentist About?

Include everything you currently take, whether prescribed, bought without a prescription or used only occasionally. Painkillers, vitamins, herbal products and medicines recently added for another condition belong on the list. Relevant past treatment matters too, particularly osteoporosis or bone medicines.

Descriptions such as “blood pressure tablets” or “a bone injection” do not identify the medicine. For each item, provide its name, dose, frequency, reason for use, how long you have taken it and any recent change. For injections or infusions, include the treatment schedule and date of the most recent dose.

If you do not know the exact name, send a clear photograph of the packaging, prescription or pharmacy medication list. Include medicines administered at a clinic as well as those you keep at home.

Which Medications Need Particular Attention?

Blood-thinning medicines

Anticoagulants and antiplatelet medicines can affect bleeding management. The review considers why they were prescribed and whether treatment involves one implant, multiple extractions, grafting or more extensive surgery. Stopping them without advice can increase the risk of a blood clot. Tell the dentist about previous prolonged bleeding and any combination of blood-thinning medicines. Different anticoagulants require different assessments; ask which records or tests are relevant to your medicine rather than arranging them from a general online checklist.

Osteoporosis and bone medicines

Report current or previous bisphosphonate or denosumab treatment. These medicines are associated with medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw, a complication affecting jawbone healing. Assessment considers the reason for treatment, dose, route, duration and oral condition. Osteoporosis regimens and more intensive cancer-related regimens have different risk profiles. Previous use still matters after treatment stops, especially with bisphosphonates. Do not delay or stop bone medicines without the managing clinician’s advice; interrupting denosumab can itself increase fracture risk. Mention any previous jaw complication or extraction that failed to heal.

Diabetes and immune-related medicines

Diabetes medicines, immunosuppressants and long-term corticosteroids may affect surgical planning, infection risk, fasting or recovery. Provide the exact medicine and schedule, and explain any recent changes.

Read Diabetes and Dental Implants: Planning Treatment Safely for that wider assessment.

Allergies and previous reactions

Report known medicine, anaesthetic or material allergies and describe what happened. Describe what happened, which medicine or material was involved and whether you needed treatment. Include the suspected product and any treatment received. Keep existing allergy information in your record for the clinician to review.

Should You Stop Medication Before Dental Implant Surgery?

Do not stop, reduce or change prescribed medication on your own. The same medicine can require different arrangements depending on its purpose, your health and the extent of surgery. A general article or another patient’s instructions cannot establish your medication plan.

If a change is being considered, the dentist may need to coordinate with the prescribing clinician and, where relevant, the anaesthesia provider. They need the actual procedure details and any expected changes to eating, rather than a general request for permission to have dental care.

Written instructions should identify the medicine, what changes, when the change applies and when or under what conditions the usual regimen resumes. Ask whom to contact if surgery is postponed or you cannot eat as planned. Review any new postoperative medicines alongside the existing list.

The dental implant treatment overview provides context for discussing the proposed procedure with your prescriber.

Preparing Your Medication Record Before Travelling to Vietnam

Prepare an electronic medication list before departure and bring an up-to-date copy to your appointment. Include your prescriber’s contact details so further information can be requested if needed. Update the team if treatment changes after the initial review.

Through the VNDentalTravel contact, explain your ongoing medical treatment and ask how to send the record. VNDentalTravel can help organise information for the clinical team, allowing medication questions to be addressed before appointments and flights are finalised.

Complete medication records give the dental and medical teams the information they need to plan treatment safely without asking patients to make medication changes on their own.