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Osteoporosis & Bone Health | Last Active: Dec 12, 2025 | Replies (29)
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Thank you for this information, and for sending the link to the study. Very helpful. But yes, the question remains: of those who have had to have dental work while on a bisphosphonate, how many have developed ONJ? From the numbers you posted, tho, I guess the number would still be small -- instead of 4 out of 8,572, maybe something like 4 out of 5,000, perhaps??
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@sebutler I've been looking for this information myself and he's a recent study I found:Prevalence of Osteonecrosis of the Jaw Following Tooth Extraction in Patients with Osteoporosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Evangelos Kostares 1,*, Georgia Kostare 1, Michael Kostares 2, Fani Pitsigavdaki 3, Christos Perisanidis 3, Maria Kantzanou 1
Editors: Eiji Tanaka, Susumu Abe, Lei Liu
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PMCID: PMC12429099 PMID: 40943748
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a rare but serious adverse effect associated with antiresorptive therapy, particularly following tooth extraction in osteoporotic patients. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of MRONJ after tooth extraction in individuals with osteoporosis through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted across three major databases (Medline, Scopus, Web of Science) up to January 2025, including observational studies reporting MRONJ following extractions in osteoporotic patients treated with antiresorptives. Pooled prevalence rates were calculated using a random-effects model, and study quality was assessed. Influence analyses as well as meta-regression were also performed. Results: Twenty-four studies were included, comprising 3784 patients and 5426 extractions. The pooled prevalence of MRONJ was 1.7% (95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.8–3.0%), with considerable heterogeneity (I2 = 77%). When considering only cases of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) following tooth extraction in patients with osteoporosis, the estimated prevalence was 0.7% (95% CI: 0.1–1.8%), with substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 61%). No individual study was identified as overly influential. Meta-regression revealed no significant associations between MRONJ prevalence and variables such as publication year, gender proportion, or extraction-to-patient ratio. Conclusions: This meta-analysis underscores the importance of vigilance in managing osteoporotic patients undergoing extractions, emphasizing the need for consistent diagnostic criteria and preventive protocols to mitigate MRONJ risk.
Keywords: medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw, MRONJ, osteoporosis, tooth extraction, prevalence, meta-analysis