The effect of radiation on teeth. A clinical, histologic and microradiographic study.

54 teeth from 20 patients irradiated for treatment of malignant tumors of the head and neck region were examined clinically, histologically and microradiographically. 18 teeth from 8 patients were used as controls. A significantly higher degree of hyposialia, radiation mucositis and atypical caries was found in the original group as compared to the control material. Occurrence of narrow gaps between dentin and cementum was also higher in the former group as compared with the latter.