Tehran University Medical Journal

Background: Although the treatment of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) is very difficult, it can be prevented. The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge and practice of oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the treatment of bisphosphonates user patients.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out by census sampling of oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Tehran, Iran from March to June 2016. The employed instrument was a questionnaire including 4 sections. The first section was to collect the demographic information of the participants. In the second part including 7 questions, the knowledge of the participants was measured. The third section with 6 questions was to assess the participants’ practice in the treatment of patients using bisphosphates. Finally, the last sections contained 4 questions. The content validity of the questionnaire was evaluated by 5 specialists in the field (two oral and maxillofacial surgeons, two periodontists, and one endodontist). To assess the reliability of the questionnaire, it was given twice with a 10-day interval to 10 of target group members. The calculation of Spearman-Brown formula revealed a correlation coefficient of 0.79.
Results: In the treatment of BRONJ, most subjects responded to risk, 1 and 2 stages patient education and symptom relief. Treatment with antibiotics and debridement surgery was chosen for patients with higher stages. From 123 oral and maxillofacial surgeons, 102 answered the questionnaires. 77.2% of the surgeons answered correctly to questions about implant insertion. This percentage was higher than other therapeutic procedures.
Conclusion: The knowledge of oral and maxillofacial surgeons as final line of referral and treatment of patients using bisphosphonates should be increased.

Background: Osteonecrosis of the jaw has recently been reported in patients receiving denosumab for cancer treatment. Accordingly, the present study aimed to determine the frequency of osteonecrosis of the jaw in cancer patients receiving denosumab.
Methods: In the present descriptive-analytical study, 62 cancer patients receiving denosumab who referred to the oncology clinic of Golestan and Shafa Hospitals in Ahvaz in 1403 were studied. The prevalence of osteonecrosis of the jaw among the studied patients was investigated and its relationship with predisposing factors, including gender, type of cancer, comorbidity, and dental caries status, was recorded and analyzed in a checklist.
Results: The prevalence of osteonecrosis of the jaw was 1.6%. There was no significant association between the incidence of osteonecrosis of the jaw and gender and comorbidities (P<0.05), but females showed a 38% higher probability of developing osteonecrosis of the jaw (95% confidence interval; 1.62-1.18, r=1.386). Breast cancer was the most common type of cancer among the study participants (61.3%), but no significant association was found between the incidence of osteonecrosis of the jaw and the incidence of the cancers studied (P-value=0.986). No significant association was found between the incidence of osteonecrosis of the jaw and dental caries (P-value=0.741). The odds of developing osteonecrosis of the jaw in patients with or without dental caries risk were reported to be 1.1 (95% confidence interval; 1.205-1.021, r=1.109).
Conclusion: Despite the lack of a significant association between the incidence of osteonecrosis of the jaw and various factors such as gender, type of cancer, comorbidities, and dental caries, there was evidence of a relative increase in the risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw in women with cancer treated with denosumab, which highlights the need for further investigation.