Radiation complications in edentulous patients

Complete dentures were fabricated for 88 patients following completion of cancericidal doses of radiation therapy to the head and neck regions. All were followed for at least 6 months after delivery. All patients received dentures resting within the radiation field. Three patients developed osteoradionecroses directly attributable to their dentures. These three had been dentulous prior to therapy and had either pre- or posttreatment extractions. Of the 58 patients who had been edentulous prior to therapy, none developed osteoradionecrosis. Five patients developed soft tissue necroses secondary to the use of dentures.