Treatment Strategies
A. Patients about to initiate intravenous bisphosphonate treatment
The treatment objective for this group of patients is to minimize the risk of developing
BRONJ. Although a small percentage of patients receiving bisphosphonates develop
osteonecrosis of the jaw spontaneously, the majority of affected patients experience this
complication following dentoalveolar surgery. Therefore if systemic conditions
permit, initiation of bisphosphonate therapy should be delayed until dental health is
optimized.This decision must be made in conjunction with the treating physician
and dentist and other specialists involved in the care of the patient.
Non-restorable teeth and those with a poor prognosis should be extracted. Other
necessary elective dentoalveolar surgery should also be completed at this time. Based on
experience with osteoradionecrosis, it appears advisable that bisphosphonate therapy
should be delayed, if systemic conditions permit, until the extraction site has mucosalized
(14-21 days) or until there is adequate osseous healing. Dental prophylaxis, caries
control and conservative restorative dentistry are critical to maintaining functionally
sound teeth. This level of care must be continued indefinitely.
Patients with full or partial dentures should be examined for areas of mucosal trauma,
especially along the lingual flange region. It is critical that patients be educated as to the
importance of dental hygiene and regular dental evaluations, and specifically instructed to
report any pain, swelling or exposed bone.
Medical oncologists should evaluate and manage patients scheduled to receive IV
bisphosphonates similarly to those patients scheduled to initiate radiation therapy to the
head and neck. The osteoradionecrosis prevention protocols are guidelines that are
familiar to most oncologists and general dentists.