Is bisphosphonate use for the treatment of benign bone disease associated with impaired dental healing?

Funding Activity

Website
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/454683

Funding Status
Closed

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Funded Activity Summary

Osteoporosis (OSP) is a common condition where bones are thin and may break (fracture). Currently, approximately 2 million Australians suffer from OSP. This figure will rise over the next 20 years as people age. Recommended drug treatment of OSP involves medication called bisphosphonates. Recent research, including a warning from the National Adverse Drug Reaction Committee, has suggested a possible association between bisphosphonates and bone breakdown in the jaw (osteonecrosis) - a devastating condition for which no effective treatment exists. This study seeks to determine if bisphosphonate use for the treatment of OSP or other non-cancerous (benign) bone disease (eg Paget's disease) slows dental healing and increases the risk of jaw osteonecrosis. This has major implications and significant potential benefits for the large numbers of people with OSP taking bisphosphonates. Currently, the chance of dental complications during bisphosphonate therapy and what factors predispose to such complications remains unclear. Given the large numbers of people at risk, these are important issues that require urgent careful investigation. We want to determine if long-term (more than 2 years' duration) bisphosphonate treatment of OSP or other benign bone disease slows dental healing and leads to jaw osteonecrosis. We will use a case-control study design given the expected low likelihood of slowed dental healing. This design involves identifying patients with slowed dental healing (cases), and patients with normal dental healing (controls). Cases and controls will then be compared for bisphosphonate use to see if it is more likely that cases have been taking bisphosphonates. Our results will help guide treatment recommendations for these drugs both nationally and internationally.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2007

End Date: 01-01-2008

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $238,160.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

bisphosphonates | bone | bone destruction | case control study | dental attrition, abrasion, erosion | jaw osteonecrosis | oral health | oral pathology | post-menopausal women

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