A study about teeth extraction of irradiated patients by head and neck cancer

Radiation therapy, in addition to its therapeutic effects, cause several complications in oral region. As a result of radiation, the blood supply to bone is decreased, and large areas of hypocellular, hypovascular, hypoxic tissue are created that are devoid of functioning fibroblasts and osteobasts. Therefore, the extraction of teeth after irradiation to the jaws has generally been regarded as a potentially hazardous procedure because of the possible initiation of osteradionecrosis. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy appears to assist in salvaging irradiated tissue by tissue angioneogenesis in marginally viable tissue induced by high oxygen tissue level. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is beneficial for patients at risk for the development of osteoradionecrosis, such as irradiated patients requiring tooth extraction. We obtained good results when extraction is performed with hyperbaric oxygen therapy in 17 cases with head and neck malignancy and present results with review of literatures. (author). 35 refs., 2 tabs