Sjogren's Syndrome Support Group
Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disorder in which immune cells attack and destroy the exocrine glands that produce tears and saliva. It also associated with rheumatic disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, and it is rheumatoid factor positive in 90 percent of cases.
I have been through A LOT in the last year or two. Much personal stress, and many health concerns. I am in constant pain.
I am someone who has had some seriously weird problems with dental work. AND I discovered I had Sjogrens AFTER the dental work problems began. I was dx'd with Sjogrens approximately 10-12 months ago.
The very short version is I had a cap fall off a tooth. I had no pain at all. I had a young dentist try to replace it. She had all sorts of difficulties and the work was prolonged and problematic. This seem to aggravate a nerve. Another dentist in the group took over. It got weirder and weirder. One day, I had shocking (literally) and severe pain. Then, I had a root canal and the pain only worsened. Then, I had the tooth removed and a GRAPH put in. Then, the pain worsened and I got a FEVER. Then I had an abundance of tests (16 vials of blood taken at the hosp) looking for infection but none was found. Then, I had the graph removed and the area cleaned. The fever left, but I was personally left with severe, over the top, likely permanent, heavy duty pain and was dx'd with atypical trigeminal neuralgia. HOWEVER, one of those blood tests came back positive for Sjogren's Syndrome. (I had a hx of lupus, but had been doing well). I take lots of meds to control the pain. That is the SHORT VERSION!
Although I have many questions. my question at this time has to do with DENTAL BONE GRAFTS. I noticed someone else mentioned a concern here. If Sjogrens can cause dental problems, then my guess is that the likelihood of needing implants comes up relatively often for those of us over 50. But, in my case, I got a big time and relentless fever after getting a bone graft. I briefly saw someone else mention a concern about dental bone grafts here. Can dental bone grafts cause bad flares? I think that might be what happened to me.
Can you get an implant w/o a bone graft?????? What has been the experience of others with reference to this type of dental work??? Please please please share what you know. Thank you.
I am someone who has had some seriously weird problems with dental work. AND I discovered I had Sjogrens AFTER the dental work problems began. I was dx'd with Sjogrens approximately 10-12 months ago.
The very short version is I had a cap fall off a tooth. I had no pain at all. I had a young dentist try to replace it. She had all sorts of difficulties and the work was prolonged and problematic. This seem to aggravate a nerve. Another dentist in the group took over. It got weirder and weirder. One day, I had shocking (literally) and severe pain. Then, I had a root canal and the pain only worsened. Then, I had the tooth removed and a GRAPH put in. Then, the pain worsened and I got a FEVER. Then I had an abundance of tests (16 vials of blood taken at the hosp) looking for infection but none was found. Then, I had the graph removed and the area cleaned. The fever left, but I was personally left with severe, over the top, likely permanent, heavy duty pain and was dx'd with atypical trigeminal neuralgia. HOWEVER, one of those blood tests came back positive for Sjogren's Syndrome. (I had a hx of lupus, but had been doing well). I take lots of meds to control the pain. That is the SHORT VERSION!
Although I have many questions. my question at this time has to do with DENTAL BONE GRAFTS. I noticed someone else mentioned a concern here. If Sjogrens can cause dental problems, then my guess is that the likelihood of needing implants comes up relatively often for those of us over 50. But, in my case, I got a big time and relentless fever after getting a bone graft. I briefly saw someone else mention a concern about dental bone grafts here. Can dental bone grafts cause bad flares? I think that might be what happened to me.
Can you get an implant w/o a bone graft?????? What has been the experience of others with reference to this type of dental work??? Please please please share what you know. Thank you.
This is my experience with all this dental (torture) work. I was diagnosed in my late twenties with a gum disease. Nothing could stop it, I can't even remember all the treatments and specialists I saw. The first teeth to go we're my front teeth at age 31. I had a bridge to replace these teeth for many years, this is where a large part of my bone loss occurred. That is a big problem with bridges and partial dentures. My teeth dropped out one at a time, and when I ran out of teeth for bridges, I got implants.
The implants work very well for me, and are less painful and bothersome than the real teeth! I have noticed that steroids appear to me to melt bone grafts. Every time I get a dose, within six months I need to patch up the grafts. I will not take steroids, unless my doc insists it is nesessary. I'm not sure that I could be talked into using them again anyway!
Good luck with you dental problems! Mine seem to be pretty much solved!
Lynne