Estrogen and alendronate therapies may prevent the influence of estrogen deficiency on the tooth-supporting alveolar bone: a histometric study in rats

• Published in: Journal of periodontal research Vol. 41; no. 6; pp. 541 - 546
• Main Authors: Duarte, P. M., Gonçalves, P., Casati, M. Z., De Toledo, S., Sallum, E. A., Nociti Jr, F. H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2006; Blackwell
• Subjects: Alendronate - therapeutic use; Alkaline Phosphatase - blood; alveolar bone; Alveolar Process - drug effects; Alveolar Process - physiology; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; bisphosphonate; Bone Density - drug effects; Bone Density Conservation Agents - therapeutic use; calcitonin; Dentistry; Estrogens - deficiency; Estrogens - therapeutic use; Female; Medical sciences; osteoporosis; Osteoporosis - drug therapy; Osteoporosis - prevention & control; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Rat; calcitonin; Stomatology; Deficiency; Rodentia; Teeth; Estrogen; Alveolar bone; Diphosphonic acid derivatives; osteoporosis; Bisphosphonates; Prevention; Alendronic acid; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Treatment; Animal; bisphosphonate; Tooth
• ISSN: 0022-3484; 1600-0765
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.2006.00903.x

Background and Objective:  The aim of this study was to evaluate histometrically the influence of estrogen deficiency, and its therapies, on the quality of the tooth‐supporting alveolar bone. Material and Methods:  Seventy‐three female rats were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: group 1 (n = 15), sham surgery; group 2 (n = 15), bilateral ovariectomy (OVX); group 3 (n = 14), OVX plus calcitonin (16 IU/kg); group 4 (n = 14), OVX plus estrogen (20 µg/kg); and group 5 (n = 15), OVX plus alendronate (5 mg/kg). Eighty days after surgery, the animals were killed and their mandibles were removed and processed for histology. Bone density (BD) in the furcation area of the first mandibular molar (i.e. the percentage of demineralized bone tissue in a 1,000 µm zone under the furcation) was histometrically obtained. Results:  Data analysis demonstrated that estrogen deficiency negatively affected the tooth‐supporting bone density (79.45% ± 4.22 and 55.23% ± 6.45, for groups 1 and 2, respectively), and that estradiol and alendronate therapies prevented this effect (61.67% ± 6.87, 78.09% ± 3.12 and 81.47% ± 4.58, for groups 3, 4 and 5, respectively). Conclusion:  Within the limits of this study, it can be concluded that the density of tooth‐supporting bone is affected by estrogen deficiency, and that estradiol and alendronate therapies, but not calcitonin, provide protection against this effect.