By PDADCO payday loan Written by Jerome P. Rothstein, DDS, MHA
Tuesday, 01 March 2005 00:00 Each year in the United States,
thousands of patients receive radiation therapy for cancer. All
dental practices have patients who have undergone, are
undergoing, or will undergo radiation therapy as part of
comprehensive cancer treatment. While the theoretical basis for
radiation treatment of cancer was developed decades ago, new
delivery systems have been introduced, and protocols are
constantly being revised. This article discusses current
concepts in radiation therapy, with an emphasis on those
treatments that relate to oral health. Dental care is an
important consideration for radiation therapy patients for
several reasons: (1) head and neck cancer patients who have
excellent oral health are less likely to have severe
complications from their cancer radiation therapy than those
patients in poor oral health1; (2) dental treatment before,
during, and after radiation therapy requires special
considerations; and (3) r