A Mysterious Disease - Osteonecrosis of the Jaw

ONJ is a silent disease because it presents as asymptomatic bone exposure without significant soft tissue infection in its early stage. However, the infected necrotic maxillofacial lesion with ulcerated swollen oral mucosa and chronic sinus tract derived from ONJ usually attack the life quality of patients [2]. The pathogenesis and risk factors of ONJ is a controversial issue until now and there is no superior and appropriate strategy for this intractable illness. Although the head and neck irradiation and bisphosphonates (BPs) administration are widely accepted as the major risk factors of ONJ [3], our recent study had indicated the dental status significantly impacts on the ONJ development [4,5].