Monitoring Hormonal Therapy In Dental Implants by Capillaroscopy And Radiology

Methods: The selected subjects had at least one implant in the anterior region (total 37 implants) 12-24 months before cancer diagnosis. After modified mastectomy operation, they received 4 cycles of 500mg/m² 5-fluorouracil, 75 mg/m² epirubicin and 500mg/m² cyclophosphamide. The HP group continually accepted 20mg Tamoxifen daily for 5 years. Both groups were monitored every 6 months systemically and dentally. The micro-circulation was monitored capillaroscopically in lingual mucosa and BMD changes were examined by dual-energy-X-ray-absorptiometry (DEXA).

Results: No recurrent and distant metastasis were observed 36 months after 4 cycles of chemotherapy but Pearson chi-square test showed that HP group had a higher failure rate (44%, 12/27) than HN group (30%, 3/10) (p=0.04). Capillaroscopy monitored the capillary loop length, loop diameter and capillary density These mean values were lower in HP than HN group with significant difference (p<0.001). Independent Test demonstrated the mean T-score of BMD in HP group was -1.88±0.36 which was lower than HN group -1.37±0.52 (p=0.006).

Conclusions: Capillaroscopy is a non-invasive and sensitive technique, it can be used in the diagnosis and monitoring of microangiopathies. Long term administration of anti-estrogenic activity drugs suppresses hormonal level causing poor microcirculation in the oral mucosa and lower bone density in the alveolar ridge. As a result the osseointegration of dental implants may become unstable and fail eventually.