Los Angeles prosthodontist provides effective dental treatment for oral cancer patients

Dec 1 2010

Oral cancer is a common condition affecting over 30,000 Americans each year. Worldwide the number falls into the hundreds of thousands, and a significant percentage of those with oral cancer end up losing teeth and normal mouth function in the absence of early cancer detection and treatment. While oral cancer has a low death rate, many of those who have recovered from it experience depression due to the resulting unsightly loss of teeth, facial bones, and/or tissue. Reconstructive oral surgery is an invaluable tool in ensuring normal appearance and function in the mouth, and Los Angeles prosthodontist Dr. Haroun Rostami is a premier provider of highly skilled and effective dental treatment for cancer patients.  

As a board eligible prosthodontist in Brentwood, Dr. Rostami specializes in the intricate use of prostheses in ensuring that a patient is able to chew and eat properly despite having oral cancer. Extensive planning is done before any implants or prostheses are installed into the mouth in order to assure proper longevity of treatment and minimize the possibility of complications. If dental implants are part of the dental treatment for an oral cancer patient, they are almost always placed before any chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation is performed, the reason being that these cancer treatments prevent timely healing and proper reception of implants. Radiation and chemotherapy, in particular, cause a large amount of bone cells to die, making it very difficult for implants to be properly integrated into the bone structure under the gums. By not knowing of possible detrimental consequences, dentists with poor judgment and inadequate training often encourage patients to undergo treatment for dental implants, even if radiation or chemotherapy has been performed in the recent past. Poor judgment in performing implant treatments may lead to osteoradionecrosis, in which the bone dies and poses a serious threat to the structure of the jaw. Dr. Rostami's dedication to thorough patient evaluations and personalized treatment plans allows him to provide his patients with the safest, most effective dental implants and full mouth reconstructions possible.

With efficient and advanced planning for prostheses and dental implants in Los Angeles from Dr. Rostami, oral cancer patients are able to undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatments safely and without complications with regards to their implants. Dr. Rostami also provides comprehensive oral cancer, TMJ and periodontal disease screenings for his patients. His passion for helping patients receive life-changing dental work has allowed him to become one of the most respected and sought after prosthodontists in Los Angeles.