ENDOSSEOUS IMPLANTS IN AN IRRADIATED TISSUE BED

Endosseous implants have been placed at the Mayo Clinic Department of Dental Specialties for over 12 years, On the basis of the clinical suc cess of the osseointegration program, the use of implants has been exp anded to include placement into tissue beds that have been exposed to therapeutic radiation, This article details preliminary data regarding implant survival in the previously radiated tissue beds. Presurgical evaluation and surgical technique are described and postprosthetic rec onstruction complications are also related, Consideration is given to the relatively small number of patients in this review, It is suggeste d that the results should be shared among multiple institutions to cre ate a meaningful data bank.