title: Implants in an HIV-positive patient: a case report.
abstract: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes an immune incompetence that weakens the body's defense against pathogens. It has been supposed that HIV-positive patients are more likely to develop both early and late postoperative complications, such as septicemia and poor wound healing. This has not been corroborated by more recent studies but seems to depend on the patient's level of CD4 cells and his or her general condition. As the life expectancy of HIV-positive individuals increases and the condition becomes increasingly controllable, esthetic dental treatment becomes more significant and implant-supported prostheses may be considered as an alternative to removable dentures. Except for a single case report on the immediate placement of a single-tooth implant, no reports are available on implant dentistry in HIV-positive patients. This case report concerns implant placement in the maxilla and mandible of an HIV-positive individual and complete dental and implant rehabilitation. Two years after implant placement, the prosthesis is functioning well.
authors.affiliation: Dental School of the University of Vienna, Department of Oral Surgery, Waehringer Strasse 25a, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. monika.baron@univie.ac.at
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baron
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gritsch
authors.forename: Anna-Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hansy
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections; D006801:Humans