Autogenous bone grafting in a patient on long-term oral bisphosphonate therapy: case report

A 66-year-old patient was referred to the Periodontal Clinic at Case Western Reserve University for implant placement in the mandibular left first molar area. The patient reported a history of oral bisphosphonate intake for the last 7 years for the treatment of osteoporosis. Autogenous bone block grafting was planned to augment the ridge before implant placement. The surgery was performed under local anesthesia, and the implant was successfully placed 8 months after ridge augmentation. Healing was uneventful postoperatively, and the buccolingual width of the ridge increased significantly, allowing placement of a 5-mm-diameter dental implant. The patient showed proper healing of both the donor site and the recipient site, in spite of the long-term oral bisphosphonate therapy, with no resulting osteonecrosis of the jawbone.