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.
Canadian Relevance
This study is not Canadian. However, it covers a Health Canada-recognised indication, as dental implants in irradiated tissue relate to delayed radiation injury, which is a recognised 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.