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The conventional radiotherapy protocol to treat head-and-neck cancer is usually followed by tooth-decay onset. Radiation impact on mineralized tooth structures is not well-understood. This systematic review aimed to collect the recorded effects of therapeutic radiation on tooth chemical, structural and mechanical properties, in relation with their means of investigation.Systematic search (January 01 2012 - September 30 2021) terms were "Radiotherapy", "Radiation effects", "Dental enamel", "Dentin", "Human" and "Radiotherapy" NOT "Laser".PubMed, DOSS and Embase databases were searched.Selected studies compared dental enamel, coronal and root dentin properties before and after in vitro or in vivo irradiation up to 80 Gy.The systematic search identified 353 different articles, with 28 satisfying inclusion criteria. Their reference lists provided two more. Twenty-two studies evaluated dental enamel evolution, nine assessed coronal dentin and eight concerned root dentin. Coronal and root dentin results indicate a major impact of the radiation on their organic matrix. Dental enamel's chemical properties are less modified. Enamel and root dentin's hardness are decreased by therapeutic radiation, but no consensus arises for coronal dentin.Our findings revealed some interesting information about enzymatic degradation mechanisms of dentin organic matrix and highlighted that dental hard-tissue characterization requires highly specific expertise in materials science. That scientific knowledge is necessary to design suitable protocols, adequately analyze the obtained data, and, thus, provide relevant conclusions.Better knowledge and understanding of the mechanisms involved in the degradation of enamel and dentin would enable development of new preventive and therapeutic methods for improved medical care of patients undergoing radiotherapy.

9th European Meeting on Injectable Bone and Joint Substitution Materials, LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND, MAR 01-02, 1999; This in vivo study investigated the influence of two calcium phosphate particle sizes (40-80 mu m and 200-500 mu m) on the cellular degradation activity associated with the bone substitution process of two injectable bone substitutes (IBS), The tested biomaterials were obtained by associating a biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) ceramic mineral phase and a 3% aqueous solution of a cellulosic polymer (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose). Both were injected into osseous defects at the distal end of rabbit femurs for 2- and 3-week periods. Quantitative results for tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) cellular activity, new bone formation, and ceramic resorption were studied for statistical purposes. Positive TRAP-stained degradation cells were significantly more numerous for IBS 40-80 than IBS 200-500, regardless of implantation time. BCP degradation was quite marked during the first 2 weeks for IBS 40-80, and bone colonization occurred more extensively for IBS 40-80 than for IBS 200-500, The resorption-bone substitution process occurred earlier and faster for IBS 40-80 than IBS 200-500, Both tested IBS displayed similar biological efficiency, with conserved in vivo bioactivity and bone-filling ability. Differences in calcium phosphate particle sizes influenced cellular degradation activity and ceramic resorption but were compatible with efficient bone substitution, (Bone 25:71S-74S; 1999) (C) 1999 by Elsevier Science Inc, All rights reserved.