In the past several years, the number of people who are taking bisphosphonate drugs has steadily increased as medical researchers have made it clear that they offer patients a wide range of benefits. Aside from that, the potency of these new medical products has increased along with their clinical effects. Although bisphosphonates help dramatically reduce the morbidity rates of patients who are currently suffering from long-bone or vertebral factors, many people do not know that they also have hidden side effects that can ultimately ruin their dental treatment.

A Dental Liability

As the number of patients who are taking bisphosphonates increases, there also seems to be an enhanced effect of these drugs on an individual’s maxilla and the mandible resulting in an increased risk of bisphosphonate-induced jaw osteonocrosis. This is a condition found in patients who have either received oral or intravenous forms of this drug because of bone-related conditions.

This often manifests as an exposed nonvital bone that is detrimental a person’s maxillofacial structures. Many dental researchers believe that it is primarily caused by trauma to an individual’s dentoalveolar structures that often have a limited capability for bone healing due to common side effects caused by bisphosphonate therapy.

Aside from that, there are three important criteria involved in the diagnosis of this condition. One of these criteria is that the patient should have a portion of exposed jaw bone that persisted for more than eight weeks. At the same time, the individual should present with no history of radiation therapy to their neck and head. They should also be taking bisphosphonate medication.

A Deadly Action

Bisphosphonates are manufactured for one important purpose. They alter bone turnover by greatly reducing bone loss while allowing new bone formation to continue. This often leads to a steady increase of bone mass over time. However, it also leads to a steady reduction of the cells found in the bone.

These cells are vital in bone repair and remodeling. Because of this, a patient who is taking this medication can expect their extraction socket to take more time to remodel and heal. Orthodontic movement will also be impaired. In a number of cases, bone turnover has been reduced to such a great extent that the cells found on these bones die.

What is worse is that the bone becomes acellular and avascular. This is often the situation when a patient’s extraction socket fails to heal. In short, the bone is dead and cannot be easily fixed. What is worse is that the socket will be constantly exposed to the person’s mouth and can easily be colonized by bacteria.

A Disturbing Finding

Although bisphosphonates have seemed to improve the bone mineral density in a number of patients, recent medical findings do not agree. In jaw osteonocrosis cases, 60 percent happened after dental implantation, root canal surgery, dental extraction and other kinds of dentoalveloar surgery. Recently, 94 percent of all of these cases happened in patients who were taking intravenous bisphosphonates.

Things to Look For

If an individual is taking bisphosphonates after their surgery, it is important that they should be on the lookout for some common telltale signs that include the following.

• Exposed bone
• Reoccurring Infection
• Jaw pain
• Swelling
• Loose teeth

People who are experiencing these symptoms should call their dentist immediately to arrange a consultation. Through this, they can be accurately assessed for the risk of any surgery related complication due to their usage of bisphosphonates.