Professor. dr. Danica Popovikj Monevska

Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaws – MRONJ

Based on a growing number of case reports and institutional reviews, antiresorptive medications including bisphosphonates may cause exposed and necrotic bone that is isolated to the jaw. Medical professionals, surgeons, oncologist, dentist must be aware of potential risk for developing BRONJ in patient with bisphosphonate therapy. Therefore, before starting intravenous bisphosphonate therapy for a cancer patient, a detailed examination and panoramic x-ray of the oral cavity should be completed and patients should by educated on the benefits of prophylactic dental care avoiding later extractions.

We suggest that surgical treatment on patients taking BPs is necessary because it improves and accelerates the healing process, hermetic closure of the muco-periosteal flap and the use of systemic antibiotic therapy. In conclusion, our data on the use of antibiotic therapy together with surgical debridement indicate positive results regarding the surgical treatment of BRONJ.

Prof. Danica Popovikj Monevska graduated at the Faculty of Dentistry in Skopje. She completed her master studies in 1994 and completed her training in maxillofacial surgery in 1995. She defended her PhD Degree in 2004, with title “Evaluation of early detection methods of cervical metastatic disease and the role of elective neck dissection in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma”. Prof. Popovikj Monevska completed professional visits at the University Clinic for Maxillofacial Surgery in the Clinical Center of Ljubljana, Slovenia, the University of Gent in Belgium and at the University of Oslo, Norway in 2005. She was titled as a full professor in maxillofacial surgery and associated courses at the Faculty of Dentistry, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje in 2015. She served as associate dean of education from 2013-2018. She is a member of the Macedonian association for maxillofacial surgery, Balkan association of maxillofacial surgery and European association for cranio-maxillo-facial surgery and active participant in several professional meetings, congresses, courses and training both nationally and internationally. Prof. Popovikj Monevska supervised numerous master and PhD students. She authored and co-authored numerous scientific articles in various scientific journals. In 2019 she was appointed and she still holds the position of a Director of the University Clinic for Maxillofacial Surgery in Skopje.