Oral medicineOsteonecrosis of the jaw in patients treated with oral and intravenous bisphosphonates: experience in Sweden

ObjectiveTo describe the prevalence, inciting factors, and treatment outcomes of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) during the 2003-2010 period in southern Sweden (population, approximately 1.2 million people).Study DesignPatient records were searched for inflammatory conditions including unspecified inflammation, osteomyelitis, osteonecrosis due to drugs, and other osteonecrosis. Data on underlying disease, type of bisphosphonate (BP), inciting factor, location, stage, treatment, and treatment outcomes were collected.ResultsOf the 341 patients identified, 55 had been diagnosed with BRONJ. Those with a malignant disease were treated with intravenous BPs, and those with osteoporosis were treated with oral BPs. All but 5 were treated with antibiotics and 47 with local resection. Healing was recorded in 79% of patients with osteoporosis and in 26% of patients with malignant disease.ConclusionsHealing in patients with osteoporosis occurred more frequently than in patients with a malignant disease treated with intravenous BPs (P = .00009).