Mary,

I think ORN is OsteoRadioNecrosis which basically means bone rot due to prior radiation--it can happen when the jaw bone gets cut into or exposed to the air during dental surgery and its a nasty nasty thing to get according to my oral surgeon. The risk of it also is there, once you have had head and neck rad, for the rest of your life. It does not decrease over time.

Nelie

SCC(T2N0M0) part.glossectomy & neck dissect 2/9/05 & 2/25/05.33 IMRT(66 Gy),2 Cisplatin ended 06/03/05.Stage I breast cancer treated 2/05-11/05.Surgery to remove esophageal stricture 07/06, still having dilatations to keep esophagus open.Dysphagia. "When you're going through hell, keep going"