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Bisphosphonates could be responsible for delayed dental healing

Bisphosphonates taken orally are usually prescribed to patients suffering from osteoporosis. They can also be used intravenously as part of secondary bone cancer treatment. (Photo: Brian Goodman/Shutterstock)
Dental Tribune International

Dental Tribune International

Mon. 3. February 2014

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MELBOURNE, Australia: A large study has demonstrated that delayed healing after dental surgery and subsequent jaw osteonecrosis can be induced by the use of bisphosphonates, a class of drugs commonly used to treat bone diseases such as osteoporosis. The study showed that participants who used oral bisphosphonates had a significant risk of delayed healing.

Researchers at the University of Melbourne investigated the data of more than 4,200 dental patients aged over 50 and found that participants who took oral bisphosphonates had a 13-fold increased risk of delayed dental healing. There were no cases associated with intravenous bisphosphonate use. After adjustment for smoking, the researchers found an 11-fold greater risk with bisphosphonates. In addition, they found that delayed healing was associated with a dental precipitant in 39 of 40 delayed dental healing cases.

The study, titled “A large case–control study reveals a positive association between bisphosphonate use and delayed dental healing and osteonecrosis of the jaw”, was published online on 20 January in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research ahead of print.

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