ALENDRONATE TREATMENT OF NATURALLY-OCCURING PERIODONTITIS IN BEAGLE DOGS

THE TREATMENT OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE has been largely directed at the microbiological etiology. The prevention of bone loss by modulating th e host response to the bacteria may be a useful adjunctive method in t he management of periodontitis. Alendronate, an amino bisphosphonate, may inhibit bone loss in osteolytic diseases by altering osteoclast ac tivity. The objective of this double-blind study was to evaluate alend ronate inhibition of alveolar bone loss in the naturally occurring bea gle dog model df periodontitis. Sixteen 7 to 9 year old beagles with m oderate-to-severe periodontitis were studied for 6 months. The dogs we re stratified into two groups based on initial periodontal severity. O ne group received 3.0 mg/kg alendronate weekly orally and the other gr oup received a placebo. Silk ligatures were placed on the study teeth for the first 3 months of the study to exacerbate the periodontal dest ruction. Clinical data were collected for attachment level, gingival i ndex, plaque index, and mobility at baseline and one-month intervals. Intraoral radiographs were made at baseline and at 3 and 6 months. The mandibles were processed for histolology at month 6. The radiographs were analyzed by digital image analysis of the subtracted images. A st atistically significant difference in bone mass (P <0.001) was observe d between the alendronate and placebo groups. The bisphosphonate had n o effect on the clinical parameters of gingival inflammation or plaque . A trend toward decreased attachment loss and mobility was observed i n favor of the alendronate group. A significant difference in bone den sity (P <0.05) was found by histomorphometric analysis. Bisphosphonate treatment may be beneficial in the management of alveolar bone destru ction associated with periodontal destruction.