Osseointegrated oral implants in head and neck cancer patients

After cancer treatment in the head and neck area, mastication and speech are often affected. Some of the problems encountered can be solved by adequate dental rehabilitation. However, dental rehabilitation is often compromised for various reasons. The change in anatomy due to surgery often results in lack of denture-bearing mucosa. The effects of radiotherapy on the salivary glands and the mucosa result in dry oral tissue and diminished retention of removable dentures. Osseointegrated oral implants can help to solve these problems. Although implant treatment for patients with cancer of the head and neck is covered by the Dutch national health insurance, and there is therefore no financial obstacle, implants have not, so far, been widely used with these patients. In order to establish the possible reasons for this, an analysis was performed. Retrospective data on 95 consecutive patients were collected from records. The indication for the use of oral osseointegrated implants was reviewed. Analysis of the data showed that 45% did not need specific prosthetic rehabilitation. An indication for the use of osseointegrated implants was found in 25% of the patients. For various reasons, only 3% actually received implants. In striving to completely rehabilitate a cancer patient, the possible use of osseointegrated oral implants should be evaluated before the initial oncological treatment begins. The insertion of implants during the initial surgical procedure should be considered more often, with a view to reducing the number of surgical procedures.