Orthodontic management in oncological patients

Cancer is a challenge for today’s medicine, as it contributes to the deaths of children and adolescents worldwide.

Aim.
The purpose of this paper was to review scientific reports on orthodontic treatment planning in patients who have received oncological treatment in the past or – orthodontic management in patients who received a cancer diagnosis during orthodontic treatment.

Material and methods.
Literature in Polish and English has been reviewed, using the PubMed and Scopus databases from 2003–2022, using the keywords: chemotherapy, radiation therapy, paediatric oncology, orthodontic treatment of oncological patients, complications of oncological therapy.

Results.
Anticancer therapies, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy and combination treatment involving a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, can cause both systemic and local side effects. Complications that occur in the oral cavity include malocclusions (posterior bites, open bites, crossbites) and dental abnormalities such as microdontia, hypodontia, oligodontia, anodontia, and taurodontism. Anticancer therapies in children can cause impaired growth of the facial skeleton in the sagittal and vertical dimensions. The younger the patient’s age at the start of cancer treatment, the greater the risk of complications in terms of developmental disorders of the stomatognathic system. In oncological patients with malocclusions, interdisciplinary cooperation is essential as it allows to plan and modify orthodontic treatment accordingly.

Conclusions.
In recent years, tremendous progress has been made in the effective treatment of cancer. It has become essential for an orthodontist to know about the complications arising from anticancer treatment. This approach helps determine the most optimal orthodontic treatment plan for an oncological patient, as well as reduce complications associated with cancer therapy.