German medical societies issue new guidelines for osteoporosis and dental implant care

New medical guidelines have been released in Germany to standardize the care of patients dealing with bone-related conditions.

The German Society for Implantology and the German Society for Dental, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery have updated the S3 guideline regarding dental implants for patients receiving bone antiresorptives, such as bisphosphonates or denosumab. These medications are used for conditions like osteoporosis and certain cancers. While implants are possible, the guidelines emphasize the need for risk-adapted planning to avoid rare but serious complications like jaw necrosis.

Separately, the German Society for Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, alongside the German Spine Society, has introduced the first S2k guideline for the diagnosis and therapy of osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral fractures. With approximately 400,000 spinal fractures occurring annually in Europe, the guidelines aim to standardize care from initial diagnosis to follow-up. Experts note that more than half of people over age 80 are affected by such fractures, often presenting symptoms like sudden back pain, loss of height, or increased spinal curvature.