A 60-year old female patient has been using Methotrexate 7.5mg daily for cancer treatment. She has been using this medication for quite a long time, of around 5 years. What are the ill effects of Methotrexate on osseointegration of implants? I have to rehabilitate maxillary arch with dental implants after extraction of existing teeth.
Editors Note:
While Methotrexate is used in high doses as a chemotherapy agent, and that is its original indication, in lower doses it is also widely used to treat psoriasis or rheumatoid arthritis. Methotrexate is in a class of medications called antimetabolites. See a detailed description at Medline. For a discussion of the the mechansim of action see Arthritis.org