title: Updated clinical considerations for dental implant therapy in irradiated head and neck cancer patients.
abstract: An increasing number of reports indicate successful use of dental implants (DI) during oral rehabilitation for head and neck cancer patients undergoing tumor surgery and radiation therapy. Implant-supported dentures are a viable option when patients cannot use conventional dentures due to adverse effects of radiation therapy, including oral dryness or fragile mucosa, in addition to compromised anatomy; however, negative effects of radiation, including osteoradionecrosis, are well documented in the literature, and early loss of implants in irradiated bone has been reported. There is currently no consensus concerning DI safety or clinical guidelines for their use in irradiated head and neck cancer patients. It is important for health care professionals to be aware of the multidimensional risk factors for these patients when planning oral rehabilitation with DIs, and to provide optimal treatment options and maximize the overall treatment outcome. This paper reviews and updates the impact of radiotherapy on DI survival and discusses clinical considerations for DI therapy in irradiated head and neck cancer patients.
authors: Department of Biomedical & Diagnostic Sciences, University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, Detroit, MI, USA. tanakata@udmercy.edu
authors: Takako Imai
authors: TI
authors: Tanaka
authors: Hsun-Liang
authors: HL
authors: Chan
authors: David Ira
authors: DI
authors: Tindle
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Maceachern
authors: Tae-Ju
authors: TJ
authors: Oh
mesh_terms: D015921:Dental Implants; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007571:Jaw Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D009065:Mouth Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants
keywords: Dental implant; head and neck cancer; irradiation; oral rehabilitation; survival rate