Osteoporosis: the effect on maxillary bone resorption and therapeutic possibilities by means of implant prostheses--a literature review and clinical considerations.

Osteoporosis is a systemic disease in which the skeletal condition is characterized by a decreased mass of normally mineralized bone. It is considered the most common metabolic bone disease, and it constitutes a major public health problem. Given the evidence that alveolar processes provide the bony framework for tooth support, the decline of skeletal mass has to be correlated with an increased risk of oral bone loss and has a negative consequence on tooth stability. Data from past research confirm that aging and estrogen depletion have a negative influence on both tooth retention and residual alveolar crest preservation. The goal of the present article is, however, to underline how the morphostructural evolution of the edentulous maxilla is mainly due to mechanical factors as the result of alterations in maxillary function. The advantages of prosthetic rehabilitation supported by osseointegrated implants are also considered, focusing the therapeutic role of this procedure on preserving the residual alveolar ridge from atrophy.