What Researchers Did
Researchers surveyed dental implants placed in tissues previously treated with radiation across nine centers in Japan.
What They Found
The study involved 118 implants placed in 24 patients. Seven patients received adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT), which increased the implant success rate in the maxilla from 62.5% without HBOT to 80.0% with HBOT. Shorter implants, specifically 7 and 10 mm in length, were at a greater risk of being lost in the maxilla compared to longer implants.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients who need dental implants after receiving radiation therapy, especially in the upper jaw (maxilla), this study suggests that adding hyperbaric oxygen treatment could improve the chances of implant success. This could lead to more reliable and lasting results for oral rehabilitation in patients with a history of radiation exposure.
Canadian Relevance
This study is not Canadian. However, it covers a Health Canada-recognized indication, as dental implants in irradiated tissue relate to delayed radiation injury, which is a recognized condition for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this preliminary report is the small number of patients and the lack of detailed information on the hyperbaric oxygen treatment protocols used.