How long is long enough for a time interval between teeth extractions and initiating head and neck radiation? You are trying to initiate life-saving radiation, after all. A look back at 879 patients undergoing dental extractions before definitive head and neck radiation demonstrated roughly 2% (n=16) developed osteoradionecrosis. These 16 patients did indeed have a significantly shorter mean time interval (7 days) than those with no osteoradionecrosis (12 days), though it’s important to remember absolute risk is low and there may be more important competing risks. | Lee, JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2023
