Pathologic Fracture

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kkw62
kkw62 Member Posts: 12
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Just found out my husband has a pathologic fracture of his lower jaw bone on the left side. He is a almost 3 yr cancer survivor from oral cancer in this same jaw area and also in lymph nodes. He has had teeth pulled in that area over a year ago and did 30 hyperbaric treatments. Jaw was swelling and painful. During a routine checkup the dr did an xray and found the fracture. Says wiring the jaw shut is not probably an option and is referring us for a CT and another dr. Dental dr mentioned harvesting a bone from his leg and placing in the damaged area. There is signicifant loss of bone from the December to June xray. Just wondering if anyone else has ever experienced this and what is in store for us all.

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  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #2
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    Hi kkw

    Sorry to hear your husband is having problems with this, one reason why it is so dangerous getting your teeth pulled after treatment and this is possible lower jaw facture. Something we all live with and need to be very careful about. Attached is a web site that will help you better understand what he will be needing and possibility having to go through.

    http://www.utmb.edu/otoref/grnds/free-flap-090824/free-flap-slides-090924.pdf

    Wishing you the best
    Hondo
  • BJammin
    BJammin Member Posts: 5
    #3
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    So sorry to hear
    So sorry to hear and hope they can get it cleared up. I haven't had any teeth pulled, but my dentist currently wants to pull my wisdom teeth and I'm scared to. I'm 54 years old and four years out of treatment for base of tongue cancer and I'm not sure it's worth the risk.
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #4
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    BJammin said:

    So sorry to hear
    So sorry to hear and hope they can get it cleared up. I haven't had any teeth pulled, but my dentist currently wants to pull my wisdom teeth and I'm scared to. I'm 54 years old and four years out of treatment for base of tongue cancer and I'm not sure it's worth the risk.

    I can't believe they let you
    I can't believe they let you keep those and didnt pull them before you started rads. They told my my wisdom teeth were non negotiable. They were all ok. I only had three, one never grew in. Then they also pulled the four next to the wisdom teeth. So I had 7 teeth pulled at once.
  • depressed63
    depressed63 Member Posts: 61 Member
    #5
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    sweetblood22 said:

    I can't believe they let you
    I can't believe they let you keep those and didnt pull them before you started rads. They told my my wisdom teeth were non negotiable. They were all ok. I only had three, one never grew in. Then they also pulled the four next to the wisdom teeth. So I had 7 teeth pulled at once.

    I'm nervous about my husbands teeth
    He had all of his fillings removed and new ones put in but he didn't get the two crowns that he needed. The dentist filled in the cracks on those two teeth. Should he of had the crowns? They said it would take 3 weeks to get them. Would temporary ones due while he's going through a couple of radiation treatments until the permanent ones go on? Should this be a concern? The radiologist told us it was important for his teeth to be in good shape. Does the Dentist and the Radiologist know what should be done and what would be ok if it's not done? I hope they are communicating...now I'm nervous about his teeth after reading some of the post. He will be starting rads around the 20th of this month.
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #6
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    depressed63 said:

    I'm nervous about my husbands teeth
    He had all of his fillings removed and new ones put in but he didn't get the two crowns that he needed. The dentist filled in the cracks on those two teeth. Should he of had the crowns? They said it would take 3 weeks to get them. Would temporary ones due while he's going through a couple of radiation treatments until the permanent ones go on? Should this be a concern? The radiologist told us it was important for his teeth to be in good shape. Does the Dentist and the Radiologist know what should be done and what would be ok if it's not done? I hope they are communicating...now I'm nervous about his teeth after reading some of the post. He will be starting rads around the 20th of this month.

    Depressed, I don't think
    Depressed, I don't think that would be a reason to worry. The temporaries will probably be ok, not sure why that would worry you. It's more of a problem with teeth after you are done with radiation. Mine went south a year later. Maybe a little over a year. A year with no saliva to protect them caused serious cavities. I've had a complete restoration.

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