Osteoporosis Support Group

I'd be concerned too! What if you should need dental surgery? You're gonna be out of luck! Even a root canal will put you at risk.

When Dr. Orange said "it isn't an issue" I'm afraid she was misspoken. I was given a printout from the American Dental Assoc. saying that it's a very BIG issue!!! It advised Dentists and Oral Surgeons NOT to do advanced dental work on ANYONE who's been on these drugs. I was also told by my dentist that he's got colleagues who don't even like to clean teeth on patients who take these drugs.

I know I should be taking something, but I'm not now. I want to keep my teeth! So I'll keep taking Calcium & Vitamin D, etc.

Best of luck, and thanks for the info on the new drug. I hope that doesn't come with other problems! LOL. God bless. Hugs, Lee

Im not doing anything till Ive seenthe dentist, I am always having root canals done,have you been offered anything else? I am just scared of breaking bones in my back, as my Mum has gone through all that and can hardly walk now.
I am just taking vit D and calcium,do you take vitamin K as well.
Thanks, and goodluck to you as well,we hve to stick together!!
Hugs.

I have had very advanced dental surgery and restorations because I chose to keep my teeth, at a very expensive price. My oral surgeon has had two cases of osteonecrosis of the jaw. He said to try it, since his two cases were one of very advanced age and another who had gone through chemotherapy. I'm not going to chance it. Each one of us has to make his/her own decision. I'm glad we have this site to report our experiences.
XOXOXO to you.

It's concerning that there's no consensus on dental work and Fosamax. Severe osteoporosis runs in my family. My mother broke five bones in six months time and that was after facturing vertebrae in her back. They put her on Fosamax in her eighties and she never broke another bone, despite some falls.

I already have two compression fractures in my vertebrae and all I was doing was golfing! That convinced me to try the Fosamax, but I didn't think I'd ever be able to take it because of stomach problems.

I've been on it two years with no stomach issues or heartburn at all. However, now I have a broken crown and need some dental work--and I really don't know what to do. I'm just putting it off. Obviously, I'll have to talk to my dentist, but clearly I'm not going to be able to go by what he says alone because there's so much division on this.

Suzan

Hi, I have decided to take the fosomax after seeing my dentist last week, he said he hadnt ever seen anyone with a problem.What he did say was that he didnt believe it was the fosomax that caused the problem but that its the fact that when you have osteoporosis the bones in the jaw could be affected and thats where the problem lies, not the fosomax,just as the back/wrist etc could break so could the jaw. He said that any dental work would have to be looked at carefully and if there was a problem you would have to see a consultant.Not good I know, but he really thought that taking the treatment was the best option, as broken bones was something to be avoided.
In a nutshell,from what I understand from the dentist, its not the fosomax but the osteoporosis that causes the problem.
All you can do is discuss it with the dentist,if you need some work doing it will be done somehow, I have heard from numerous people since I was diagnosed and none of them have had a problem with teeth.
Hope this helps. Good Luck.

I couldn't take either Actonel or Fosamax because it irritates my stomach. Doc put me on Evista--the one that helps protect against breast cancer too. It hasn't bothered my stomach. There is a small risk of blood clots. Doc said insurence requires you to fail on all three of these before you can get the injectable or infusion-type meds. What you can do is take whatever for 4-5 yrs and then take a "vacation." That's kind of a new thing.

I've also heard about the 4-5 year period of taking the alendronates (Fosamax, Actonel, etc.) A friend told me her doctor had her quit after five years because the alendronates aren't effective after that. Maybe now they've discovered that if you take a "vacation," you can restart and the drugs will work again.

For me, given my family history and the fractures I've already suffered, broken bones are a much bigger issue for me than dental surgery, although I'm playing it safe and hoping to postpone any work on my teeth, except cleaning, until I've stopped the Fosamax.

My daughter has wanted me to try the strontium as well. She has a friend that has had good results with it. I have been taking actonel for 5 to 6 yrs now and I don't believe it has helped me much. I recently have had stinging pain in both knees which I read could be a side effect of the actonel. I am sure my insurance wouldn't pay for the strontium either but I may try it. I am now taking some time off from the actonel.

I took it for 4 yrs and my bone density did change. So when heartburn became a prob. and I couldn't take evista, I stopped taking it. The supplement I take has strontium. Go to vitality101.com.

I can sympathise with you all here. I take Fosamax and last year I developed a gum boil which indicated I had an absess. I was referred to the Dental Hospital because my dentist said I needed and apicectomy (where they cut away the top portion of the tooth which joins the bone and clean out the absess). The consultant at the dental hospital put the fear of God into me by going on about this osteonecrosis and said he would have to speak to someone else. It was decided to leave the tooth for 3 months to see if things would settle down and I was to go back. I phoned after the 3 months to say that there was no problem with the tooth (thank God) and I would prefer to leave it alone.

I never went back but changed my dentist. My new one says that as far as he's concerned my immune system has obviously dealt well with the absess and if it's not giving me trouble just to leave it well alone.

I also have a back crown which is needing to come out as it's causing a lot of problems but I am terrified to let the dentist do anything.

I've never had much luck with my teeth - had lots of absesses, root canals etc... so I know that it is only a matter of time before I HAVE to let them do work but I am scared of the consequences.