Dental work and Zometa

Hi, I am sorry, I don't know about the waiting times for dental surgery but I can say that I was diagnosed in February, had chemo and then surgery (in August) and only had my first Zometa this week.  Might be worth a chat with your oncologist to put your mind at rest.  Good luck x

Thanks. As the oncologists were keen for me to start Zometa I will see if dental team contact me in next couple of weeks. If not I will call breast cancer nurses. 

There is nothing to stop you phoning to the Oral Surgery Dept at Guys and asking nicely how long it might be, as you know where you have been referred to. Explain your position.

Good luck

WallyDug

Will give them a little while first tho. 

Speaking from another part of the country - I believe hereabouts referrals for dental treatment which is holding up the start of cancer treatment is usually given priority over routine referrals. Hope it is the same where you are.

Wishing you all the best

WallyDug 

I hope so. Enjoy your evening.

I had my first bisphosphonate at the end of May and then recently had a tooth infection that then required root canal. I called my oncologist as I was nervous about root canal when on the Zoledronic acid. They said as long as the root canal is 2 months either side of the infusion then it's ok. An extraction is different - I didn't ask about that, but I know that it can cause jaw issues so they would probably want you to wait longer.

I read up about it too and apparently the earlier on in your bisphosphonate treatment you are, the less likely you are to have dental complications so if it were me, I'd try and get the dental work done first.

The bisphosphonates are a preventative so I I don't suppose delaying by a few months would make much of a difference. They must have this issue all the time as everyone needs to get their teeth checked before starting.

I don't know about waiting times, my dentist was able to fit my root canal in within a couple of days. I was put at the top of the list because it was almost perfect timing after my last infusion and before my next one so I will only have a couple of weeks' delay before my next infusion. I'm in Scotland so things may be different in different areas.

Did the dentist say you were an urgent referral? I would have thought that you would be high priority.

The dentist would have had to refer me to secondary care anyway due to complicated roots. She has specifically referred me to the hospital where I am having my treatment and included info in the referral. So fingers crossed.

I think I am only a bit worried as was happy to start Zometa and it was before I was going back to work. Hopefully once it starts I won't have too many side effects.

I didn't get any side effects from it but some people can get bone pain. Hope you hear soon

Thank you, Beatthebreast.