Dental extraction in patients with HIV/AIDS: report of two cases

Abstract

The oral health of patients with HIV infection is often compromised by caries and periodontal disease. Thus, many patients need to undergo oral surgical procedures. Case report: This article describes two cases of patients with HIV infection who had undergone exodontia due to prosthetic indications. Both patients had been hospitalized for treatment of respiratory complications from HIV infection and were referred for dental treatment. In the first case, the adult patient had generally good oral health. However, the treatment plan for the installation of a removable prosthesis required the removal of tooth 38 since it was fairly inclined to the mesial. The second patient had poor oral conditions due to advanced periodontal disease. Thus, all upper arch teeth were removed in a single session followed by the installation of an immediate total prosthesis. No postoperative complications were recorded and the healing process occurred without incident for both patients. Dental treatment of patients with asymptomatic HIV infection does not differ from that performed for any other patient in practice. Nevertheless, patients in advanced stages of disease may require special treatment and an individual treatment plan must be developed for even routine procedures. Conclusion: The dental care of these individuals often requires more rigorous clinical follow-up for maintaining oral health. The performance of dental surgery in patients with HIV infection does not require technical modifications, but does require a complete anamnesis.