[Dental screening of patients after organ transplantation]

Before any organ transplantation, the patient undergoes a wide range of medical controls and is prepared for the surgical intervention, which lasts for several hours and imposes considerable stress on the organism; the patient is also prepared so as to be able to tolerate the subsequent lifelong need for immunosuppressive treatment.

A study was made of wether dental foci are eliminated appropriately in practice, and wether the necessary dental follow-up is performed.

During a period of 10 months, 55 patients presented at the above Department for the control screening of dental foci an average of 27.5 months after organ transplantation. Physical and X-ray examinations were performed and the numbers of dental focal lesions were determined.

The examinations revealed lesions that could be regarded as dental foci in 34.5% of the cases, and in many there were multiple (on average 2.7) focus-suspect lesions. In one case, the possibility arose of a health impairment connected with the inadequacy of the dental treatment. The last dental control examination had been made on average 22.4 months before the current focus screening.

This study suggests the need for the uniformity of the principles of dental focus screening and dental care in patients awaiting organ transplantation and lifelong immunosuppressive treatment, for more systematic care in practice, and for the organization of regular dental controls in these patients.