Estradiol replacement attenuates alendronate-associated adverse effects on alveolar bone repair in ovariectomized rats. (PubMed, J Periodontol)
Osteoporosis is common in postmenopausal women due to reduced estrogen levels and leads to weaker bones. Alendronate is widely prescribed to lower fracture risk, but it may interfere with bone healing after dental procedures such as tooth extraction. Using a rat model that mimics postmenopausal bone loss, this study examined how estrogen deficiency, alendronate treatment, and estrogen replacement together influence healing of the tooth socket, a process highly relevant to periodontal and oral surgical care. The results showed that estrogen deficiency alone already compromised bone repair, and this effect became more pronounced when alendronate was used. Estrogen replacement with estradiol valerate did not fully restore normal healing, but it reduced several harmful changes in bone structure and local inflammatory activity associated with alendronate. Importantly, no bone necrosis was observed under the conditions studied, although persistent disturbances in bone remodeling were evident. These findings help clarify how systemic bone conditions and osteoporosis treatments can influence periodontal wound healing and support more informed risk assessment and interdisciplinary planning when dental extractions are required in patients with osteoporosis.