Current Oncology
Beyond Prescription Dose: Implant-Site Radiation Dosimetry and Clinical Outcomes of Dental Implants Placed After Head and Neck Radiotherapy—A Systematic Review and Proposed Dosimetric Framework
By Camden R. Robbins, Parisa Shamsesfandabadi, Nancy Lyn Wilson Westmark and 4 others.
Abstract
Background
Dental implants can improve oral rehabilitation following head and neck radiotherapy (RT). The relationship between radiation dose and implant outcomes is not well defined, because specific radiation doses at the implant site are inconsistently reported.
Methods
This systematic review evaluated dental implants placed after head and neck RT to determine the impact of the level of radiation dose reporting on outcomes. Studies were assessed for the quality of the reported radiation dosimetry, implant survival, and osteoradionecrosis (ORN). Radiation reporting was classified using a five-level hierarchy ranging from implant-site-specific dosimetry (Level I) to no dose information (Level V).