| | Joined: Apr 2016 Posts: 75 Likes: 2 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | OP  Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2016 Posts: 75 Likes: 2 | This is information for anyone who has dental issues after radiation treatments. Tufts Dental School in Boston, MA has Oral Medical Specialists who help to restore teeth after radiation. As I know now the last option should be pulling the teeth. They also have surgeons there that deal with surgery and they also deal with ORN. The phone number is 617-636-3932, Good Luck to anyone and thank you Brian Hill
SCC 2005 floor of mouth and neck disection
SCC 2009 partial rt tongue RAD
PEG 2009
20 HBO treatments following surgery of three teeth and 10 more HBO to follow
2015 Diced food diet due to weak muscles long term effects of radiation
2018 Radiation Fibrosis of the jaw and neck, vocal cord dysfunction
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,671 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,671 | That's great! Just sent the info to my son. Thank you msweet55 and thank you, Brian.
Anne-Marie
CG to son, Paul (age 33, non-smoker) SCC Stage 2, Surgery 9/21/06, 1/6 tongue Rt.side removed, +48 lymph nodes neck. IMRTx28 completed 12/19/06. CT scan 7/8/10 Cancer-free! ("spot" on lung from scar tissue related to Pneumonia.)
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2008 Posts: 247 Likes: 1 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2008 Posts: 247 Likes: 1 | If Tufts Dental School uses techniques that help restore teeth after radiation, why are those techniques not know or used at other facilities?
Once I get a chance, I will try to look into this.
CG to husband, dx @ age 65, nonsmoker/social drinker. Dx 5/08 SCC Stage IV, BOT T1N2aM0. 33 IMRT - completed 9/12/08. Induction Chemo (Cisplatin, Taxotere & 5FU), plus concurrent Cisplatin.
1/09 PEG removed; 5/09 neg PET/CT; 5/10 PET/CT NED
Dental extraction & HBOT 2013; ORN 2014; Debridement/Tissue Transfer & HBOT 2016
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Thanks for checking this out! Im interested in knowing too.
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | | | | | Joined: Apr 2016 Posts: 75 Likes: 2 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | OP Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2016 Posts: 75 Likes: 2 | Brian Hill our founder told me about this type of specialist and I have an apt the end of the month, should have gotten more opinions before I pulled my teeth or talk with Brian beforehand. Too late now just deal with what I have to. Brian told me that he has his teeth for 15 yrs now and that he sees this type of specialist, Michele
SCC 2005 floor of mouth and neck disection
SCC 2009 partial rt tongue RAD
PEG 2009
20 HBO treatments following surgery of three teeth and 10 more HBO to follow
2015 Diced food diet due to weak muscles long term effects of radiation
2018 Radiation Fibrosis of the jaw and neck, vocal cord dysfunction
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2016 Posts: 75 Likes: 2 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | OP Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2016 Posts: 75 Likes: 2 | They try to save what they can but there truly no guarantees with radiation. I met a man Friday who was going there and they save three teeth but the decay was happening so fast that he had nothing but stub and had to have all bottom teeth removed. Sadly to say, michele
SCC 2005 floor of mouth and neck disection
SCC 2009 partial rt tongue RAD
PEG 2009
20 HBO treatments following surgery of three teeth and 10 more HBO to follow
2015 Diced food diet due to weak muscles long term effects of radiation
2018 Radiation Fibrosis of the jaw and neck, vocal cord dysfunction
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2016 Posts: 75 Likes: 2 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | OP Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2016 Posts: 75 Likes: 2 | Ann Marie, tell you son not to have his teeth removed only if its down to the stub, my teeth were not decayed but I was having an infection from a failed root canal. The oral surgeon all they want to do is pull more teeth because to future decay. But after what I am going through I don't recommend it at all, Michele
SCC 2005 floor of mouth and neck disection
SCC 2009 partial rt tongue RAD
PEG 2009
20 HBO treatments following surgery of three teeth and 10 more HBO to follow
2015 Diced food diet due to weak muscles long term effects of radiation
2018 Radiation Fibrosis of the jaw and neck, vocal cord dysfunction
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,671 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,671 | Thanks, Michele - I just did.
Anne-Marie
CG to son, Paul (age 33, non-smoker) SCC Stage 2, Surgery 9/21/06, 1/6 tongue Rt.side removed, +48 lymph nodes neck. IMRTx28 completed 12/19/06. CT scan 7/8/10 Cancer-free! ("spot" on lung from scar tissue related to Pneumonia.)
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2008 Posts: 247 Likes: 1 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2008 Posts: 247 Likes: 1 | This is a very upsetting topic for those of us who thought we checked all possible options before undergoing an extraction, knowing it was dangerous post-rad. Numerous people have posted about dental problems.
The fact that general dentists are not knowledgeable about ORN danger and oral surgeons are trained to extract teeth does not explain why Radiation Oncologists and CCCs refer to oral surgeons (even outside of their own institutions).
If we can't trust a RO/MO/ENT at a CCC to provide appropriate and reliable referrals, what are we suppose to do? Also, why has this Oral Medical Specialty never been brought up on this forum, or did I miss it? Can't other dentists find out the treatments used?
CG to husband, dx @ age 65, nonsmoker/social drinker. Dx 5/08 SCC Stage IV, BOT T1N2aM0. 33 IMRT - completed 9/12/08. Induction Chemo (Cisplatin, Taxotere & 5FU), plus concurrent Cisplatin.
1/09 PEG removed; 5/09 neg PET/CT; 5/10 PET/CT NED
Dental extraction & HBOT 2013; ORN 2014; Debridement/Tissue Transfer & HBOT 2016
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2 | You are spot on, Lottie. For years many were just herded along through the treatment process. In the 11 years I have been dealing with all this, I have seen great strides in the dental profession in addressing and educating. I'm a bit biased, but I honestly feel this was all OCF. I say this from the inside looking out.
I have never heard of the product mentioned earlier so it is either new or not widely used.
SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0
Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days radiation
Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03
Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08.
Cervical Spinal Stenosis 01/11
Cervical Myelitis 09/12
Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12
Dysautonomia 11/12
Hospice care 09/12-01/13.
COPD 01/14
Intermittent CHF 6/15
Feeding tube NPO 03/16
VFI 12/2016
ORN 12/2017
Cardiac Event 06/2018
Bilateral VFI 01/2021
Thoracotomy Bilobectomy 01/2022
Bilateral VFI 05/2022
Total Laryngectomy 01/2023
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