Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Radiotherapy for head and neck tumors causes a series of adverse effects. Some effects are temporary, such as oral mucositis and taste disorders, and others are permanent, such as xerostomia and increased risk for dental caries and osteoradionecrosis. One way to diminish radiotherapy’s adverse effects is to decrease the radiation dose on healthy tissues outside the tumor area through more precise radiotherapy techniques, such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), which depends on positioners and stabilizers to the anatomic structures.CASE REPORT: This paper presents direct construction technique examples of mouth openers and positioning stents for tongue and mandible, which allow distance from the radiation field for healthy organs as well the precise stabilization required for the IMRT technique.CONCLUSION: The clinical cases shown in the present paper also illustrate that the intra-oral devices for stabilization of the dental arches and tongue are effective in reducing unnecessary radiation on healthy organs.
Highlights
Radiotherapy for head and neck tumors causes a series of adverse effects
Radiotherapy is an essential ally to the treatment of head and neck tumors, it generates a series of adverse effects that must to be known by dentists and radiation oncologist with the purpose to prevent and/or minimize such effects during and after the radiation treatment
The cases presented in this paper show that radiation prostheses are efficient in keeping healthy anatomic structures away from the main radiation field, which is in conformity with scientific literature [24, 25]
Summary
The clinical cases shown in the present paper illustrate that the intra-oral devices for stabilization of the dental arches and tongue are effective in reducing unnecessary radiation on healthy organs. Uma das formas de diminuir os efeitos colaterais da radioterapia é diminuir a dose de radiação de estruturas saudáveis fora da área do tumor através de técnicas radioterápicas mais precisas como a radioterapia de intensidade modulada (IMRT) a qual depende de posicionadores e estabilizadores das estruturas anatômicas. RELATO DO CASO: O presente artigo demonstra exemplos de confecção direta de abridores de boca e posicionadores de língua e mandíbula que permitem o afastamento das estruturas saudáveis bem como a estabilização precisa necessária à técnica do IMRT. CONCLUSÃO: Os casos clínicos apresentados no presente artigo também ilustram que os dispositivos intraorais para estabilização das arcadas dentárias e da língua são eficientes em diminuir a dose de radiação desnecessária a estruturas saudáveis. Rev Odonto Cienc 2017;32(4):217222 Head and neck tumor radiotherapy | Costa Filho et al
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