Two-piece detachable interlocking mold for low-dose-rate brachytherapy: A dental technique for radiotherapy prosthesis fabrication

Cheewin Towithelertkul; Mihoko Haraguchi; Gen Tanabe; Haruka Fujita; Islam E Ali; Xuewei Han; Yuka I Sumita

doi:10.1016/j.prosdent.2022.06.021

Two-piece detachable interlocking mold for low-dose-rate brachytherapy: A dental technique for radiotherapy prosthesis fabrication

J Prosthet Dent. 2022 Aug 4:S0022-3913(22)00430-9. doi: 10.1016/j.prosdent.2022.06.021. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Cheewin Towithelertkul¹, Mihoko Haraguchi², Gen Tanabe³, Haruka Fujita³, Islam E Ali⁴, Xuewei Han⁵, Yuka I Sumita⁶

Affiliations

¹ Graduate student, Department of Maxillofacial Prosthetics, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan; Assistant Lecturer, Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
² Project Assistant Professor, Department of Maxillofacial Prosthetics, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: pararotti.mfp@tmd.ac.jp.
³ Dental Resident, Department of Maxillofacial Prosthetics, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan.
⁴ Graduate student, Department of Maxillofacial Prosthetics, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan; Assistant Lecturer, Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
⁵ Graduate student, Department of Maxillofacial Prosthetics, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan.
⁶ Associate Professor, Department of Maxillofacial Prosthetics, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan.

PMID: 35934571
DOI: 10.1016/j.prosdent.2022.06.021

Abstract

Brachytherapy is a type of radiotherapy used to eradicate malignancies in the head-and-neck region. Early-stage mucosal carcinomas, such as carcinomas of the hard palate and gingival mucosa, can be treated with low-dose-rate brachytherapy by using a radiotherapy prosthesis called a mold. Prosthodontists play a significant role in the design and fabrication of these molds, which deliver therapeutic doses to the primary lesion and protect adjacent tissues from radiation exposure. However, planning and observing ongoing treatment is difficult for radiation oncologists because the shield part cannot be removed from the carrier part or requires an attachment to do so. This article describes a technique for fabricating a 2-piece detachable interlocking mold without any special attachment for low-dose-rate brachytherapy.