Re: Bisphosphonates

In article <1165942887.637400.202300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"Sue" <chrlie699@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

The Webby wrote:
I brought the subject to smd on March 22, 2005. The thread is available
for review on Google groups for anyone interested. I am reposting my
old post.

From: The Webby - view profile
Date: Tues, Mar 22 2005 4:00 pm
Email: The Webby <nospamattmjiatroepidemicnos...@xxxxxxxxxx>
Groups: sci.med.dentistry, alt.support.jaw-disorders
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http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/avascular_necrosis/

In my case, it was (later) determined that I suffered bilateral
avascular necrosis of the temporomandibular joints as a result of
surgical complications from surgical error (orthognathic surgery). The
joints were destroyed and thus began the saga of my chronic and
permanent TMJ disability and disease.

If you search Google Groups for "osteonecrosis jaw" you'll discover
posts that you may not have paid attention to in the past -- or maybe it
was even *you* who put the posts up! Either way, it's an interesting
review.

The subjects of TMJ avascular necrosis and osteonecrosis of the
maxillofacial area (jaw/jawbone) are or should be matters of interest to
dental related newsgroups.

II'm just tossing these topics out to see if there's any interest in
getting a discussion going. Turn on your television and count how many
times you see an advertisement for Fosamax (alendronate) in one evening.
I watch relatively little television but I sure see a lot of Fosamax
pushing.

Webby
_______________

In article <1165915286.868384.48860@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"Alexander Vasserman DDS" <purple543210@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

Another problem is there are still many dentists and md's in practice
who are not even aware of the risks of doing surgical procedures on
patients who are taking bisphosphonates.
The FDA or state boards have not even made an effort to contact health
care professionals.
I found out about this problem through word of mouth then had to do my
own research.
Later we saw articles on this from the dental associations however
solutions as to how to proceed weren't clear until very recently.


us wrote:
In article <OIWdnZt9Y5DdN_XYnZ2dnUVZ_vKdnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxx>,
fritzfield@xxxxxxxxxxx says...
Anyone have any horror stories about the ubiquitous oral
bisphosphonates
(Boniva, Fosamax)causing osteonecrosis of the jaw as a result of
perio
surg, implants, or extraction?


I have been researching this on the web and have found plenty of
reassuring statistics such as "Less than 1 chance in 100000", etc.

However, that does not seem to be the correct question and answer.

What I think needs to be identified is, for a given population of
Fosamax users who have tooth extractions, implants, or other invasive
dental procedures, what percentage experiences ONJ?

So:

1. Among those of you who are on therapy now, who among you have had
extractions, implants, etc?

2. For those of you are dentists and oral health professionals, have
you
performedthese operations on patients who are on oral fosamax therapy,
and what sorts of results have you seen?

Thanks for any replies.

Just me

I think the risks should be clearly stated on the prescription and
warnings should be made clear to the patient by the physicians that
prescribe Fosamax (or other biphosphonates) and by the pharmacists that
dispense these.

However even young patients (under age 60) can be confined to
wheelchair because their spines have literally collapsed due to
osteoporosis! So as always, one must weigh the risk versus benefit.

There is rarely if ever any perfect medication or medical procedure
that comes entirely without risk. Medicine is not a perfect science,
by any means.

jmho
-Sue

An elderly relative of mine was put on Fosamax in early 2005. She has
had ongoing dental issues for years; she's one of those people who just
wants to hold onto every tooth she can (for life) no matter how much
dentistry is involved and no matter how much trouble the dentistry
causes her. But at 90 years of age, it seems that putting such a person
on Fosamax, given what is and isn't known about potential complications
related to ONJ, is tipping the scale a bit. After some family
discussions, she told her doctor she didn't want to take "the bone
medicine". She didn't really know why but she deferred to family advice.

Some might say that she should have taken her doctor's advice over that
of the family. For all the dentistry she has had done since then, we
sleep better knowing that the Fosamax isn't going to add misery to
misery.

Webby
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Bisphosphonates
    ... If you search Google Groups for "osteonecrosis jaw" you'll discover ... posts that you may not have paid attention to in the past -- or maybe it ... I watch relatively little television but I sure see a lot of Fosamax ... patients who are taking bisphosphonates. ...
    (sci.med.dentistry)
  • Re: Bisphosphonates
    ... for review on Google groups for anyone interested. ... If you search Google Groups for "osteonecrosis jaw" you'll discover ... I watch relatively little television but I sure see a lot of Fosamax ... Fosamax users who have tooth extractions, implants, or other invasive ...
    (sci.med.dentistry)
  • Re: Bisphosphonates
    ... If you search Google Groups for "osteonecrosis jaw" you'll discover ... I watch relatively little television but I sure see a lot of Fosamax ... patients who are taking bisphosphonates. ... was no benefit found in the very elderly as far as hip fracture ...
    (sci.med.dentistry)
  • Re: Questions on Fosamax/Mike
    ... Mike you said in 1 of your posts that you cut your 70 mg of Fosamax in ... Do you use one of those pill cutters or just a knife? ...
    (sci.med.diseases.osteoporosis)