Managing complications of radiation therapy in head and neck cancer patients: Part III. Provision of dentures.
Head and neck cancer is becoming a more recognizable pathology to the general population and dentists. The modes of treatment include surgery and/or radiation therapy. Pretreatment dental assessment should be provided for these patients before they undergo radiation therapy. There are occasions, however, whereby head and neck cancer patients are not prepared optimally and, as a result, they succumb to complicated oral adverse effects after radiation therapy. The management of radiation-induced caries, a sequelae of xerostomia has been reviewed in Part II of this series. In this article, the management of difficulty with dentures, another sequelae of xerostomia following radiation therapy is reviewed.
Rahman
Roslan Abdul
RA
Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Ngeow
Wei Cheong
WC
Chai
Wen Lin
WL
Ramli
Roszalina
R
D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported / Q000379:methods*; D003779:Denture Design / Q000379:methods; D003778:Dentures / Q000379:methods*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000150:complications*