Evaluation of Jaw Osteonecrosis Following Intra-Ligament Anesthesia in Zoledronate-Treated Rats: a Histological Evaluation

Statement of the Problem:

 One of the rare adverse effects in patients who take bisphosphonates is the osteonecrosis of the jaw in the oral cavity following any trauma such as tooth extraction.

The aim of this study is the histopathological evaluation of the jaw following intra-ligament anesthesia injection in Zoledronate-treated rats.

In this descriptive-experimental study, rats weighing 200-250 g were divided into 2 groups. The first group received a 0.6 mg/kg dose of zoledronate and the second group received normal saline. Five injections with a 28-day interval were performed. At the end of the injection, the animals were sacrificed. Then, five-micrometer histological slides were prepared from the first maxillary molars and the surrounding tissues. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to evaluate osteonecrosis, infiltration of inflammatory cells, fibrosis, and root and bone resorption.

There was no difference between the macroscopic and clinical features in both groups and no evidence of osteonecrosis of the jaw was observed in the samples. From the histological point of view, all the samples had normal tissues and none of them showed any evidence of inflammation, tissue fibrosis, disorder, or pathological root resorption.

According to the histological findings, the periodontal ligament space, the bone adjacent to the roots, and the dental pulp conditions were similar in both groups. Osteonecrosis of the jaw did not develop in the rats that took bisphosphonates after intraligamental injection.