A new study has established that estrogen deficiency negatively affects implant osseointegration in rats’ maxillary bone. Results from the study also found that alendronate (ALD), an aminobisphosphonate, may improve the quality and quantity of bone available for a successful implant. The study is published in the Journal of Oral Implantology. Bisphosphonates, potent bone antiresorptive agents, are known to be some of the most reliable and prevalent drugs in osteoporosis treatment. The efficacy of bisphosphonates has been demonstrated in osteoporosis as well as in various other metabolic bone disorders such as Paget’s disease and hypercalcemia of malignancy. Bisphosphonates are synthetic compounds extensively used for the treatment of system bone loss due to estrogen depletion. Bisphosphonates such as ALD, although controversial, are worthy of investigation for the enhancement of implant osseointegration in patients with low bone mass who are already taking bisphosphonates for osteoporosis. These patients may receive additional benefits and be acceptable candidates for dental implants without needing to change their medication regimen and possibly as a result of their medication regimen. In the study, implants placed in rats with estrogen deficiency did not osseointegrate. The probability of losing the implants at 2 weeks was 50%, and at 4 weeks just 13% if the implant surface remained in contact with bone. Administration of ALD helped to improve the bone-implant contact to 85% of the initial value. None of the implants were lost when ALD was administered, and the quality of the bone density improved to 50%. Overall, osseointegration of implants was enhanced by ALD.
(Source: Journal of Oral Implantology news release, May 1, 2008)
