Estrogen and/or calcium plus vitamin D increase mandibular bone mass.
BACKGROUND
We have previously reported that estrogen/hormone replacement therapy (E/HRT) has beneficial effects on oral bone density over 3 years and that calcium and vitamin D supplementation has a lesser effect. Here we report on mandibular bone mass for 49 women (of the original cohort of 135) who continued in an additional 2-year, open-label extension.


METHODS
Postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to receive calcium and vitamin D plus E/HRT, or calcium and vitamin D only. Regression analysis of mandibular bone mass over time was performed for each woman.


RESULTS
Twenty-two of 26 women who took calcium and vitamin D plus E/HRT for 5 years had small mandibular bone mass increases (0.35 +/- 0.38%, P<0.001). Seventeen of 19 women who took only calcium and vitamin D for 3 years had increases in mandibular bone mass (0.74 +/- 0.89%, P<0.002). The largest gains in mandibular bone mass occurred during the first 3 years of the study.


CONCLUSIONS
The data of this study indicate that E/HRT and/or calcium and vitamin D may result in increases of mandibular bone mass in postmenopausal women. Because of the long-term risks associated with E/HRT, caution should be exercised in prescribing E/HRT for prevention of chronic menopausal conditions.
Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. hildeboltc@mir.wustl.edu
Charles F
CF
Hildebolt
Thomas K
TK
Pilgram
Mary
M
Dotson
Reina
R
Armamento-Villareal
Jay
J
Hauser
Sheldon
S
Cohen
Roberto
R
Civitelli
D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D002118:Calcium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D008336:Mandibular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D011859:Radiography; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D004338:Drug Combinations; D014807:Vitamin D; D002118:Calcium