What Researchers Did
Researchers placed 42 dental implants into the irradiated jaws of 10 head and neck cancer patients (3 maxilla, 7 mandible) and fabricated either overdentures or fixed prostheses.
What They Found
Of the 10 implants placed in the maxilla, 6 were lost, resulting in a 40% survival rate. In contrast, all 32 implants placed in the mandible achieved a 100% survival rate over a mean duration of 33 months.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients who have undergone head and neck radiotherapy may find dental implants a viable option for mandibular rehabilitation with a high success rate. However, they should be aware of a significantly higher risk of implant failure when considering placement in irradiated maxillary bone.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada or by Canadian researchers.
Study Limitations
A significant limitation of this study is its small sample size of only 10 patients, making the findings preliminary and requiring further investigation.