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There has been an increase in the number of cases of osteonecrosis with some of the newer drugs for osteoporosis. Osteonecrosis is the death of bone cells. The jaw seems to be an area where this change in bone occurs most often.
Doctors aren't sure yet exactly why this is happening. There may be some predisposing factors. The most common cause is bone that heals poorly or doesn't heal at all after trauma. People who have had recent dental disease, dental surgery, or oral trauma may be at increased risk. Other risk factors include poor dental hygiene and cancer.
Taking high doses of bisphosphonates increases the chances of developing osteonecrosis. Bisphosphonates is a fairly new class of drug used to treat osteoporosis. It is an antiresorptive agent. This means it reduces the amount of bone that is lost with aging, estrogen deficiency, and cancer.
It can be taken in pill form or intravenously (IV). People with cancer who are being given this drug by IV seem to be the most likely patient to develop osteonecrosis. The mechanism behind this remains unclear at this time.
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