Effects of Drugs and Chemotherapeutic Agents on Dental Implant Osseointegration: A Narrative Review

Background: Dental implants have been one of the most popular treatments for rehabilitating individuals with single missing teeth or fully edentulous jaws since their introduction. As more implant patients are well-aged and take several medications due to various systemic conditions, clinicians should take into consideration the possible drug implications on bone remodeling and osseointegration.Objective: The present study aims to examine and review some desirable and unwelcomed implications of medicine on osseointegration.Methods: A broad search for proper relevant studies was conducted in four databases, including Web of Science, Pubmed, Scopus, and Google Scholar.Results: Some commonly prescribed medicines, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), glucocorticoids, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), anticoagulants, metformin, and chemotherapeutic agents, may jeopardize osseointegration. On the contrary, some therapeutic agents, such as anabolic, anti-catabolic, or dual anabolic agents may enhance osseointegration and increase the treatment's success rate.Conclusion: Systemic medications that enhance osseointegration include mineralization promoters and bone resorption inhibitors. On the other hand, medications often given to the elderly with systemic problems might interfere with osseointegration, leading to implant failure. However, to validate the research, more human studies with a higher level of evidence are required.