Are Prophylactic Antibiotics Necessary?

If you ever have received a prosthetic joint implant, you may be aware that implant patients have been advised to take antibiotics prior to undergoing a dental procedure.  This recommendation has been made to prevent "bacterial endocarditis," a life-threatening heart infection. The antibiotics prevent bacteria from being released into the bloodstream during a dental procedure and infecting the heart lining and valves.  However, most recently, both the American Heart Association and the American Dental Association have limited their recommendation of a pre-procedure antibiotic to high-risk patients (including those with an artificial heart valve, heart-transplant patients with valve problems, and patients with specific congenital heart conditions).  Routine use of antibiotics for dental patients with joint implants is no longer recommended.