Prosthetic implants: risk of infection from transient dental bacteremias

This paper examines the issue of risk for infection from transient dental bacteremias in patients with implanted prosthetic devices. Guidelines are available to dentists from the American Heart Association concerning patients with prosthetic heart valves, but other national medical organizations have thus far not provided recommendations regarding patients with other prosthetic devices. The author reviews the literature and offers recommendations for the dental management of these patients.