I'll try to summarize the advice we were given from several sources, including a dental consult at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston with an oral surgeon familiar with post rad issues. My husband has had several root canals and one wisdom tooth extracted post radiation. All were pretty much in full radiation field.

msweet55: I do not believe there is one perfect answer, but you do need a plan. I understand that you were originally treated in Boston (MO at Dana-Farber, is that right)? With access to the medical and dental community there, I do not understand how you still do not have a plan. I understand that this is very scary. I was a wreck. What advice and options have you been given? There are only a few ways to go with this.

- only extract if no other option.

- some experts recommend to cut down teeth at the gum line. I think the teeth then have a root canal that removes the blood supply and nerves in them. The tooth or the remaining roots become ankylosed into the bone and are dead, but not a problem any longer.

- HBOT is controversial and not yet proven. Our RO recommended and ordered it.
Oral surgeon put it this way, if you don't do the HBOT and develop ORN, you'll
always question your decision. Two oral surgeons noted that they can see a better
blood supply after HBOT.

- obviously, antibiotics prior to extraction with frequent post extraction healing
checks. This should not be treated as a routine extraction.