Dentures plus implants after radiation

Hi Mike. I'd be hesitant about the two implants. The radiation can really mess with your mandibles. My advice (non-professional) is to talk with your Oncologist or GP as to what they think your body can handle. Particularly this close in time from treatments, you are far from fully healed in my opinion.
I understand that a soft food diet is not pleasant every day. But please proceed with caution. Hopefully someone else in this group has more experience with denture work. Good luck, and good courage.

William, thanks so much.
At my age would be happy to go on as it is. Am very fortunate to have a good recovery from radiation, although had difficult time with swallowing issues, mucus, dry mouth.
Bad neck burns etc like everyone. Had a wonderful radiation team at Kaufman Cancer Center in Bel Air MD.
This forum helped me immensely during recovery

Hi Mike
As William suggested - have your dental surgeon connect with your oncologist as to what would be best for you.
I had treatment in 2006 - nasopharyngeal carcinoma IV, with 35 sessions of radiation and also with chemo thrown in. A few years ago, my root canal in the front teeth broke and option was either dental implant or dentures. Dentist suggested dental implant, but my oncologist was not in agreement for the dental implant. But, believe my dentist managed to convince my oncologist that since it's in the front - it should be ok. I eventually got the dental implants - but then in my case - the implant occurs to the two front teeth.
Hope this helps!

Hi Josk. thanks for that helpful advice. Am seeing my radiation oncologist and chemotherapy oncologist later this month and will report back to this forum the results of meeting.

Hi,
Had brachytherapy to mandible after removal of front teeth. At age 87 did have implant for front teeth (permanent not removable) but after radiation results concluded. Took a while. Not perfect but pretty good after 2 years. Also had bridging crowns on maxilla after remove of 6 teeth (no evidence of cancer but did have 3 cancers one after the another 3 months apart before getting radiation). Fortunate if oncologist and dentist can coordinate, I had to do much of coordination.

Thanks for that. Am meeting with radiation and chemotherapy doctors later this month to determine if it’s too early in recovery to go forward

Please give an update. I’m looking to do a bridge because I’ve heard implants wouldn’t be an option after radiation.

Hi Jersey, visited with my radiation oncologist and she is going to call my oral surgeon to discuss the two implants he wants to put in to hold lower dentures in place (oral surgeon is of the opine that lower dentures may pop loose otherwise.) I’m leaning toward dentures w/o implants because I’m not convinced that my mandible hasn’t been compromised due to 35 rounds of radiation. Will keep you and this forum updated as to what occurs.

Good luck on next meeting. I had to wait a while until radiation effects moderated. But effects are forever. Don't want to misrepresent my situation, did not have implants, should not have used that term, what I have for mandible is dentures. They said my bones at 87 were not able to support implants. But unlike you they only took out 4 teeth in mandible, front teeth, so they gave me false teeth dentures which are supported by the remaining teeth on either side of mandible. Those false teeth are cemented in.
My maxilla is another story, took out 6 teeth and I have an obturator. Now I am 89 and they aren't perfect but the dentures actually feel better than obturator. JazzyJoy

Jazzy joy, thanks for update.
My oral surgeon suggests two mandible implants ostensibly to hold lower dentures in place. Am not comfortable with implants so early after 35 rounds of radiation ending 05/23/24. Also not looking forward to long adjustment to full set of dentures. Are there any octogenarians out there who have had full dentures at this stage of life? Would like to hear there opinions. This is a great forum and has helped many cope in recovery.