Radiological imaging and orthodontic treatment in the case of growing patients after oncological treatment: Case reports

Abstract

According to the classification of the World Health Organization (WHO), the most common childhood ma-lignant neoplasms include leukemia, lymphomas, and neoplasms of the central nervous system (CNS) and the sympathetic nervous system. Cancer diseases themselves as well as their treatment carry a high risk of both early and distant effects. The most common dentition disorders resulting from the radiotherapy of the head area and chemotherapy in patients up to the age of 6 years include root agenesis, V-shaped roots, microdontia, hypoplasia of the maxilla and the jawbone, hypodontia, and enamel hypoplasia and hypomineralization. Patients undergoing oncological treatment at the age of <6 years should receive adequate and long-term monitoring due to the possible distant effects of the underlying disease and its treatment. The radiotherapy of the head and neck region performed on a growing patient significantly worsens the patient’s prognosis and results in a number of irreversible complications. Planning appropriate orthodontic treatment in such patients contributes to increased comfort later in the patients’ lives. Oncology patients do not require special orthodontic procedures; however, the high risk of complications does encourage the planning of orthodontic treatment with the least burden. Dental care for a young patient with a history of oncological disease requires the interdisciplinary cooperation of a pedodontist, orthodontist, prosthetist, and dental surgeon.