Dental management of patients irradiated for oral cancer

TLDR

Management of patients irradiated for oral cancer should include consideration of their oral health prior to, and after, radiation therapy. Data from 130 patients followed for 1 to 10 years were presented and evaluated. The study shows that retaining and maintaining teeth, safely extracting severely diseased teeth, and treating osteoradionecrosis conservatively, combined with a comprehensive evaluation and follow‑up plan, significantly reduces morbidity and supports the philosophy of preserving as many teeth as possible in patients irradiated for oral cancer.

Abstract

Management of patients irradiated for oral cancer should include consideration of their oral health prior to, and after, radiation therapy. Data from 130 patients, followed for a period of 1 to 10 years, are presented and evaluated. The philosophy of retention and maintenance of as many teeth as possible is supported by this data. Extraction of teeth with severe periodontal disease after irradiation also proves to be a relatively safe operation. Osteoradionecrosis tends to be limited in extent and is generally well tolerated by the patient when treated conservatively. A treatment regimen is presented that significantly reduces the morbidity from therapeutic irradiation of the jaws. A comprehensive dental evaluation and follow-up plan coupled with patient cooperation are instrumental to the success of this program.