by Michael Woodhead

Dentists have been told that fears about osteonecrosis with bisphophonates have been exaggerated and do not justify refusal of dental treatment for patients using oral therapies for osteoporosis.

Professor Philip Sambrook, a rheumatology and musculoskeletal physician at the University of Sydney says many patients and their dentists have been confused by warnings about osteonecrosis of the jaw that apply to patients using IV bisphphonates for cancer.

In new advice posted on the website of the Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society, he says the risk of osteonecrosis with oral bisphosphonates is low, whereas the mortality and morbidity risks following osteoporotic fractures are high.

Professor Sambrook says many patients got a distorted view of the relative benefits and risks of bisphosphonates following negative publicity from an ABC 7.30 Report, and some even stopped treatment inappropriately.

His advice to dentists is that patients only need to be referred for specialist management if they are using IV bisphosphonates or have risk factors such as immununosuppression or smoking.

He adds that the long half file of bisphosphonates means there is no point stopping treatment a few days before a dental procedure.

You can hear the full MP3 interview here: (link)