Implications of bisphosphonate use for the dentist

Dr Peden is in private practice in periodontology in Nashville, Tenneesee. He can be reached at [email protected]. Dr Shatz is assistant clinical professor of periodontics at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Georgia, and is in private practice in Marietta, Georgia. He can be reached at 001 770 952 5432. Abstract The authors look into the research studies into bisphosphonates, the important classification of drugs for the treatment of bone diseases. Are bisphosphonates safe when used during or around implant treatment? The authors have some good news for us. Recently, literature from the health sciences field has suggested important oral/dental implications for patients with a history of bisphosphonate drug use. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved these drugs for the treatment of osteoporosis, metastatic cancer involving the bone, and Paget’s disease. Chemists have known bisphosphonates since the middle of the 19th century. At first, they were used for industrial purposes, mainly to prevent corrosion. They were used in the textile, fertiliser, and oil industries and were included in washing powders. The study of bisphosphonates as an important class of drugs for the treatment of bone diseases began only three decades ago. The first report of the biological characteristics of bisphosphonates was published in 1968. At that time, scientists discovered that bisphosphonates could inhibit bone resorption. There is increasing evidence that patients who have been treated with bisphosphonates may be at risk of osteonecrosis associated with certain dental surgical procedures. This article reviews the rationale for the clinical use of bisphosphonates and the implications of such use for the dental practitioner.