Necessity of dental restoration before heart valve replacement: a cross-sectional study of a historical cohort

Given the increasing incidence of prosthetic valve infective endocarditis (PVE), this study highlights the critical role of preoperative dental assessments in identifying potential oral foci. Nearly half of the patients required oral or maxillofacial surgical intervention before heart valve replacement, emphasizing the importance of timely interdisciplinary collaboration. Integrating dental evaluations into the standard preoperative protocol may help reduce postoperative complications and improve patient outcomes.