Response from the ADA Division of Science
Through its Council on Scientific Affairs, the ADA has taken the lead in trying to inform dental health care professionals about bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis, or BON. In early 2005, the ADA contacted Novartis Pharmaceuticals (manufacturer of the intravenous bisphosphonates Aredia and Zometa) and then worked with Novartis to send a letter to all U.S. dentists, informing them of this complication.1 Also, articles were published in JADA2 and the ADA News3 and posted on ADA.org, along with additiontal information at "www.ada.org/prof/resources/topics/osteonecrosis.asp".
More recently, the Council on Scientific Affairs has assembled an expert panel to develop clinical recommendations for managing patients receiving oral bisphosphonate therapy (guidance for patients receiving intravenous therapy already exists). It is important to note that the incidence of BON is much lower in patients receiving oral bisphosphonate therapy compared with patients receiving intravenous bisphosphonate therapy. However, because millions of patients take these drugs and these people often need routine dental care, these recommendations are intended to assist dentists in their management. The recommendations are expected to be ready for dissemination this spring, and will be posted on ADA.org.
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REFERENCES
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- Hohneker JA, Bess AL. Important drug precaution for dental health professionals with patients being treated for cancer (letter). Available at: "www.ada.org/prof/resources/pubs/epubs/brief/dentist_letter_0505.pdf". Accessed March 23, 2006.
- Bisphosphonate treatment linked to spontaneous osteonecrosis of the jaw (news). JADA 2005;136:36.
- Berthold M. Osteonecrosis warning: cancer drugs preclude some dental procedures. ADA News May 16, 2005;36(10):12.
- Lund AE. Osteonecrosis of the jaw. ADA News Today Dec. 8, 2004. Available at: "www.ada.org/prof/resources/pubs/adanews/adanewsarticle.asp?articleid=1185". Accessed March 20, 2006.
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