Nitrogen‐containing bisphosphonate therapy—Part II: Assessment of alveolar bone tissue inflammatory response in rats—A blind randomized controlled trial

Summary This study aimed to evaluate the alveolar bone tissue inflammatory response in rats undergoing zoledronic acid therapy. The study sample was composed of 28 Wistar rats. Animals from the test group GTa received a weekly intraperitoneal dose of 0.2 mg/kg of zoledronic acid for 3 weeks, while test group GTb received the same dose for 8 weeks. A physiological saline dose, equivalent to that of the medication, was administered to the controls in groups GCa and GCb. A defect was created in the dental crown of the lower first molars using a drill to simulate pulp and periapical injury. Data were evaluated regarding image grey levels by cone‐beam computed tomography and histologically by assigning scores for the presence of inflammatory infiltrate, type of infiltrate, vascularization, bone necrosis and dental resorption. Grey levels in the 3‐week therapy group (GTa) showed more pronounced changes in comparison with those seen in the GCa group (P 0.05). However, bone remodelling decreased in the groups receiving the medication. Bone necrosis was present more frequently in group GTb than in the control group GCb. The results suggest that the drug interfered in the reaction capacity of the alveolar bone tissue as test group GTa showed higher grey levels in comparison to the control group GCa. In addition, there was less bone remodelling activity, with the appearance of bone necrosis zones and intense acute inflammatory infiltrate associated with the 8‐week therapy group GTb.