What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the survival rate of titanium dental implants placed in irradiated jaws.
What They Found
Out of 1,051 publications, 15 studies were included, assessing 10,150 implants, with 1,689 (14.3%) placed in irradiated jaws. They found a significantly increased risk of implant failure in irradiated patients (risk ratio: 2.74) and in maxillary sites (risk ratio: 5.96). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy did not reduce the risk of implant failure (risk ratio: 1.28).
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients with a history of head and neck radiation therapy should be aware of a higher risk of dental implant failure, especially in the upper jaw. While dental implants remain a viable option for restoring oral function, hyperbaric oxygen therapy does not appear to improve their success in irradiated bone.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
Limitations included that most publications focused on machined implants and only three studies on hyperbaric oxygen therapy were available for analysis.