Experience with osseointegrated implants placed in irradiated tissues in Japan and the United States

A survey was undertaken to analyze osseointegrated implants placed in irradiated maxillae and mandibles. It was found that nine centers in Japan and two centers in the United States had placed 228 implants in 44 patients. Of 228 implants, 59 were placed in the maxilla, 169 in the mandible. Three of 169 implants placed in irradiated mandibles were removed; 17 of 59 were removed from maxillae. One hundred nineteen implants were placed in the mandible without adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen treatment, of which only 2 were removed. From these results, it is suggested that osseointegrated implants can be placed in the irradiated mandibles of selected patients without hyperbaric oxygen treatment.