Dental Problems Associated with Radiation Therapy / 대한연하장애학회지

Dental problems associated with radiation therapy are difficult to treat because of the irreversible nature of radiation therapy and permanent tissue damage. Common oral complications include oral mucosa ulceration, xerostomia, and radiation caries. Other oral complications found infrequently are mouth opening limitation and osteonecrosis of the jaw bone. The acute complication of oral ulceration is associated with dysphagia. In addition, delayed complications, such as xerostomia and dental caries, could lower the quality of life, particularly in terms of chewing and swallowing. The treatment of each complication is dependent on the condition and severity. Symptomatic treatment to relieve pain and discomfort is typical for oral complications. Surgical and radical resection is required for the advanced stage of osteoradionecrosis. In this review, oral complications and their treatments are suggested for clinical guidance.

Dysphasia due to Oral Anomaly / 대한연하장애학회지

Dysphasia related to oral anomaly is a common situation in oral and maxillofacial surgery. The etiology of oral anomalies causing dysphasia can be divided into congenital and acquired disease. Congenital diseases include teratoma or benign tumors and congenital defects such as cleft lip and palate. Benign tumors include cystic hygroma in the neck and hemangioma in the tongue. Certain syndromes with macroglossia and micrognathia are also related to difficulty in swallowing. The three common syndromes are Pierre-Robin syndrome, Beckwith-Widermann syndrome and ectodermal dysplasia. Taken together, these congenital diseases require a multi-discipline approach to obtain optimal results. Representative disease of acquired dysphasia is the oral cavity cancer. Cancer ablation results in tissue defect and decreased motor function. Free flap reconstruction is the choice of treatment following oral cavity caner operation; however, dysphasia after cancer operation is inevitable. In this review article, the full scopes of oral anomaly associated with dysphasia were classified and treatment was suggested.