What is Osteoradionecrosis?
Osteoradionecrosis is a condition in which bone has died due to radiation exposure. It’s a side effect of radiation therapy for cancer in your head or neck. Osteoradionecrosis can develop months or years after radiation treatment for cancer. This most commonly affects your lower jaw (mandibular osteoradionecrosis), but it can also occur in your upper jaw (maxillary osteoradionecrosis), the front of your spine (vertebral osteoradionecrosis) or in any other bone exposed to significant radiation. In rare cases it can affect the skull but that is a fatal condition.
Radiation therapy and bone health
In your mouth, radiation damage can cause:
- Exposed bone (bone that’s showing through your gums).
- Repeated episodes of jaw pain and swelling.
- An area of tissue that doesn’t heal.
Therapeutic Effects of Class IV Lasers for the management of Osteoradionecrosis
There is no cure for Osteoradionecrosis and only clinical control treatments as surgical debris removing, antibiotic therapy, and ultrasound could be performed. Class IV high intensity laser with increasing metabolism capacity, cell proliferation, angiogenesis and wound healing is a suitable method for assisting osteoradionecrosis treatment. Laser also has analgesic effects and improves lymphatic flow. Class IV laser improved the healing process of bone and accelerated the covering of bone with oral mucosa in most cases. Class IV lasers have been explored for their potential benefits in stimulating tissue repair and reducing inflammation. They work by penetrating tissues and promoting cellular repair processes through Photobiomodulation (PBM).
The energy from the laser can enhance blood flow, collagen production, and cell proliferation, which might aid in healing and potentially reduce some of the adverse effects of Osteoradionecrosis.
