 In the modern dental profession, it is only recently, when severe cases associated with bisphosphonates came to light, that the issue of ONJ has been brought to the attention of a majority of dentists.At present, the focus is mostly on bisphosphonate-associated cases, and is sometimes referred to colloquially as "phossy jaw", a similar, earlier occupational disease.However, the pharmaceutical manufacturers of bisphosphonates drugs such as Merck and Novartis have stated that ONJ in patients on this class of drug, can be related to a pre-existing condition, coagulopathy, anemia, infection, use of corticosteroids, alcoholism and other conditions already known to be associated with ONJ in the absence of bisphosphonate therapy.