Titanium Implants in Irradiated Tissue: Benefits From Hyperbaric Oxygen

Since the introduction of osseointegrated titanium implants for bone-anchored facial and dental prostheses, an increasing number of irradiated patients are being treated with this technique. Although the number of patients who have had titanium implants after irradiation is limited, available statistics point to a tendency of a higher implant loss frequency as compared with nonirradiated patients. This review discusses factors behind deleterious tissue effects and implant failures from irradiation and points to possibilities to improve the surgical outcome with special reference to hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Keywords: hyperbaric oxygen, irradiation, osseointegration, titanium implants