Surgical therapy for osteonecotic lesions of the jaws in patients in therapy with bisphosphonates

Objective: Surgical therapy to improve the symptoms and the lesions in osteonecrosis (ON) of the jaws in patients in therapy with bisphosphonates. Design: to evaluate the patient's therapeutic protocols, performance status, and factors promoting ON to prevent surgical failure. Materials and Methods: 18 patients affected by osteonecrotic lesions of the jaws associated to BF, were treated by surgery. Results: The results were recorded after 6 months. All the patients showed improvement of symptoms, in particular the pain. In addition, all the patients referred to a sensation of fresh and clean mouth, the disappearance of fetor ex ore, and a healthy mouth. Conclusions: The management and the resolution of BF osteonecrotic lesions is arguable and complex because in most cases, the patients are affected by oncologic disease when the better approach is prevention, but when the ON lesion is clear, surgery can improve the symptoms and in some cases, it can be resolute. To prevent surgical failure, it can be useful to evaluate the patient's therapeutic protocols, performance status, and factors promoting ON. ©2007Muntaz B. Habal, MD.