title: Prosthetic rehabilitation of head and neck cancer patients focusing on mandibular dentures in irradiated patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This retrospective study assessed treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction of irradiated head and neck cancer patients treated with mandibular implant overdentures (IODs) or conventional dentures (CDs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-one irradiated head and neck cancer patients, out of a total of 158 patients included, completed the standardized questionnaire and underwent a clinical assessment. Nineteen patients were treated with removable CDs and 32 patients received IODs between January 2006 and January 2011. The mean follow-up of patients was 5.75 years (range: 1 to 23 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 45 (88.3%) mandibular dentures were in function at the time of assessment. The overall denture satisfaction was 7.3 (range: 1 to 10, SD: 2.14). Patients being treated with adjuvant concepts, including surgical tumor ablation, scored worse than patients after radiation therapy alone. Edentulous patients seem to benefit from implants, especially with respect to prosthesis retention. Men take more benefit from IODs compared with women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results are comparable to other studies of head and neck cancer patients and also of healthy individuals. Surgical interventions in adjuvant therapy concepts lead to reduced denture satisfaction. The concept of prosthetic rehabilitation as part of oncologic treatment can be judged as successful.
authors.forename: Doke J M
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Buurman
authors.forename: Lauretta A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Vaassen
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bockmann
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kessler
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported / Q000523:psychology; D003781:Denture Retention; D003826:Denture, Complete, Lower / Q000523:psychology; D003827:Denture, Complete, Upper / Q000523:psychology; D003828:Denture, Overlay / Q000523:psychology; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome