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Head and Neck Cancers • Radiation Oncology
How do you approach teeth extractions for head and neck cancer patients getting radiation?
We have seen a lot of patients referred to oral surgeons who insist all their teeth are in poor shape, leaving these patients edentulous.
- What do you quote patients as to the risk of ORN?
- Does your decision to refer a patient for extractions depend on the doses received to the mandible?
- What is your opinion on dental implants requiring a post? What do you tell patients regarding how long following irradiation to wait before getting procedures done, and is there a time frame after which the risks stabilize?
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Academic Institution
Here is what my oral surgeon, who deals with ORN, told me: “We do implants in fields of high does radiation. The risk of immediate and long term failure is higher but often the risk/benefit still weighs in favor. I have two patients that have devoleped ORN (one immediate and one late) after im...
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Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Academic Institution
Our experience shows a risk of ORN of ~ 7%. Of course that has to be taken into context of all grades, from conservative management to aggressive surgical management
We our fortunate as a cancer center to have in house dental oncologists who see the patients up front and are involved ...