Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy in the treatment of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw: a scoping review

Resumo

There is a lack of consensus regarding management of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (MRONJ). Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) may be a promising treatment. Objective: To broadly review the literature on the use of aPDT in MRONJ prevention or treatment. Material and methods: Medline-PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases were reviewed for articles up to February 2023. From a total of 2084 studies, two were selected. Results: MRONJ was most frequently diagnosed in females with an average age of 60 years. Alendronate was the most reported causal bisphosphonate, and osteoporosis was the most common underlying disease. aPDT was performed with 0.01% methylene blue and its derivative, 0.01% phenothiazine chloride. aPDT was effective both in prevention and treatment of MRONJ. However, its use has always been associated with antibiotic therapy before and/or after treatment. Conclusion: There is insufficient evidence of the efficacy of isolated use of aPDT in MRONJ treatment and/or prevention.