Professor of Surgery and Chief Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery HCA Miami, Florida
Osteonecrosis of the jaws from osteopenia/osteoporosis medications and cancer therapy continues and is a disease an oral and maxillofacial surgeon faces. New data suggest that occlusion plays a major role in initiating ONJ and that preventive methods are available to reduce the incidence of its occurrence. This course will outline the pertinent questions that need to be asked on a medical history form, preventive measures, palliative treatments and definitive surgeries to resolve ONJ when it occurs. The course will emphasis the rationale and appropriate use of drug holidays for each drug known to cause ONJ. Data and case samples will illustrate the efficacy of preventative measures and definitive treatments.
Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
Determine the relative risk for ONJ related to each known drug, initiating factors, vulnerable sites and comorbidities.
Demonstrate how to accurately stage ONJ when it occurs.
Determine how to work with physicians prescribing osteoporosis drugs to reduce the risk of ONJ in their patients.
Explain the mechanism and risk factors related to dose, frequency, and potency of both bisphosphonates and RANK-l inhibitors.
Determine which ONJ patient would benefit from surgery and what the potential for reconstruction and deformity would actually result.