BOOK NOW
CALL (561) 265-1998

Radiation Therapy Stents Boynton Beach

When head and neck cancer requires radiation therapy, the structures of the mouth — the tongue, soft palate, salivary glands, jawbone, and teeth — are at risk from incidental exposure even when they are not part of the target field. A radiation therapy stent is a custom-fabricated oral device worn during each treatment session to reposition or shield these structures, reducing the dose they receive and lowering the severity of long-term side effects. At Ocean Breeze Prosthodontics in Boynton Beach, Dr. Nicholas Goetz designs and fabricates radiation stents as a fellowship-trained maxillofacial prosthodontist, one of approximately 150 in the United States with this credential.

Call (561) 265-1998
Schedule Consultation
673efd8e4801ab532d7be982 f7b10dd602f95929a3b47a392031ce94 min 1 -Ocean Breeze

What a Radiation Therapy Stent Is

A radiation therapy stent is a custom-fabricated oral device worn by a patient during each session of head and neck radiation therapy. Its purpose is to reposition the tongue, mandible, or other oral structures away from the radiation beam path, or to physically shield adjacent tissues from scatter radiation \u2014 reducing the incidental dose received by uninvolved structures during each treatment fraction.

The clinical evidence supporting radiation stent use in head and neck oncology is well established. Research published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology demonstrates that custom oral stents can meaningfully reduce dose to the tongue, mandible, and contralateral salivary glands during oropharyngeal and oral cavity radiation. At Ocean Breeze Prosthodontics, Dr. Goetz fabricates radiation stents in coordination with each patient’s radiation oncology team, designing the device to the specific repositioning or shielding requirements of the treatment plan.

Why Radiation Stents Matter for Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Porcelain veneers are thin ceramic shells — typically 0.3 to 0.5mm — custom-fabricated to bond to the visible front surface of a tooth. They are a minimally invasive solution for patients who want to improve appearance without significant tooth reduction. The porcelain material resists staining, reflects light naturally, and integrates with surrounding teeth in a way that composite alternatives cannot replicate long-term.

Veneers are well-suited for correcting a wide range of cosmetic concerns, including tooth discoloration that doesn’t respond to whitening, chips or cracks affecting the front teeth, minor gaps between teeth, teeth that appear uneven in length or shape, and worn enamel that has changed the look of your smile. According to the American Dental Association, candidates should have good underlying gum health and sufficient enamel before placement — Dr. Goetz evaluates both before recommending any veneer treatment.

photo 1588776814546 1ffcf47267a5 -Ocean Breeze

Types of Radiation Stents

The specific type of stent required depends on the tumor location, the radiation field, and the structures that need to be displaced or shielded. Dr. Goetz works with your radiation oncologist to review the treatment plan before designing the stent, ensuring the device achieves the necessary repositioning or shielding while remaining comfortable to wear throughout each treatment session.

Tongue Depressor Stents

Tongue depressor stents hold the tongue in a specific position during radiation to the floor of the mouth, oropharynx, or tongue base — moving it out of the primary radiation field or into a more consistent position that reduces treatment variability session to session. These stents are fabricated from acrylic or thermoplastic materials and custom-fitted to the patient’s dentition for stable, repeatable positioning.

Positioning Stents

Positioning stents place the mandible, maxilla, or soft tissue structures in a consistent, reproducible orientation during radiation delivery — ensuring that each treatment fraction targets the same geometry and that uninvolved structures are displaced as far as possible from the beam path. These devices are particularly useful when the tumor is adjacent to critical structures such as the spinal cord, brainstem, or salivary glands.

Shielding Stents

Shielding stents incorporate lead or other radiation-attenuating materials to physically block scatter radiation from reaching adjacent structures. They are used when positioning alone is insufficient to protect a critical structure — for example, shielding the mandible when radiation targets the floor of the mouth, or protecting the lips and cheek mucosa during superficial lesion treatment. The shielding material is custom-configured to the patient’s anatomy and the treatment geometry.

Coordination With the Radiation Oncology Team

A radiation stent is only effective if it is designed in coordination with the radiation oncology team’s treatment plan. Dr. Goetz reviews the planned radiation fields and dose distribution with your radiation oncologist before fabricating any stent, ensuring the device achieves the repositioning or shielding that the treatment geometry requires. The stent is tested for fit before radiation begins and verified to seat consistently at each session.

6745ab074d5b5d56a0343c0e 673c3b3b1e6ce1ffac01c149 dr goetz 2 scaled 1 -Ocean Breeze

Meet Dr. Nicholas Goetz

Radiation stent fabrication sits at the intersection of prosthodontics and radiation oncology. Dr. Nicholas Goetz completed his Maxillofacial Prosthodontics Fellowship at UCLA, where radiation stent fabrication for head and neck cancer patients is part of the clinical training alongside obturators, facial prosthetics, and full cancer rehabilitation pathways.

Dr. Goetz holds a DMD and MS from the University of Florida, where he completed his Prosthodontic Residency. He is one of approximately 150 board-certified maxillofacial prosthodontists in the United States, with clinical experience at U.S. Army and VA Medical Hospital settings where head and neck cancer patients received comprehensive prosthodontic care throughout treatment. For Boynton Beach patients beginning radiation therapy, that background means the stent is designed by a clinician trained for this specific role in the cancer care team.

  • Maxillofacial Prosthodontics, UCLA
  • DMD, MS, and Prosthodontic Residency at the University of Florida
  • Civilian Maxillofacial Prosthodontist with the U.S. Army and VA Medical Hospital
  • Among a select group of 150 maxillofacial prosthodontists in the United States
Learn More About Dr. Goetz

The Radiation Stent Process at Ocean Breeze

1

Pre-Radiation Consultation and Impressions

Dr. Goetz meets with you before radiation begins to review the treatment plan with your oncology team, take impressions, and design the stent. This consultation should occur as early as possible in the radiation planning process — ideally before simulation — so the stent can be incorporated into the treatment setup.
2

Fabrication and Fit Verification

The stent is fabricated from impressions and designed to the specifications required by the radiation treatment plan. At a fit verification appointment before radiation begins, Dr. Goetz confirms the stent seats fully, positions structures as intended, and is comfortable enough for the patient to wear consistently throughout each treatment session.
3

Use During Radiation Treatment

The patient wears the stent during every radiation session throughout the full treatment course. Consistent use is essential — the stent’s protective effect depends on the same tissue repositioning or shielding being replicated at every fraction. Dr. Goetz provides detailed instructions for stent placement and removal, and is available to address any fit issues that arise during the treatment course.
4

Post-Radiation Dental Monitoring

Once radiation is complete, Dr. Goetz transitions the patient to post-radiation dental monitoring and preventive care — including custom fluoride trays for head and neck cancer patients to protect teeth from radiation-induced caries. Ongoing monitoring for osteoradionecrosis risk is also part of long-term follow-up for patients who received significant mandibular radiation.

Dental and Prosthodontic Financing Available

We believe financial concerns shouldn’t keep you from treatment that can change your daily life. Ocean Breeze Prosthodontics offers flexible financing options so the path to a complete smile feels manageable from the very first visit.

While we are not in-network with insurance companies, we’ll still help you get the most out of your plan. We file claims on your behalf and assist you in securing any reimbursement your PPO plan allows.

Explore Financing Options
AdobeStock 93284293 -Ocean Breeze
Smile Transformations

See the Results for Yourself

Test
View Our Gallery
Young woman smiling confidently with healthy white teeth at home
FAQs

Radiation Therapy Stent FAQs

How long do porcelain veneers last?

Not every head and neck cancer patient requires a radiation stent. The need depends on tumor location, the planned radiation field, and whether repositioning or shielding uninvolved structures would meaningfully reduce their exposure. Your radiation oncologist and Dr. Goetz together determine whether a stent is warranted based on the treatment plan. Patients whose radiation fields pass near the tongue, mandible, salivary glands, or other critical oral structures are the most likely candidates.

Radiation stents reduce the dose received by uninvolved structures such as the tongue, mandible, salivary glands, and mucosal lining during each treatment fraction. Lower incidental dose to these structures can reduce the severity of acute side effects including mucositis, and long-term effects including xerostomia, osteoradionecrosis risk, and radiation-induced dental decay. The extent of benefit depends on the tumor location and how much displacement or shielding the stent achieves.

The stent consultation and fabrication should occur before radiation simulation if possible — typically two to four weeks before radiation begins. Early involvement allows the stent to be incorporated into the simulation setup so the treatment plan accounts for the repositioning it achieves. If radiation has already been planned without a stent, Dr. Goetz works with your oncology team to determine whether a stent can still be incorporated into the remaining treatment course.

Radiation stents are typically covered under medical insurance as a component of cancer treatment. Submit to both your dental and medical plans. Ocean Breeze Prosthodontics is a fee-for-service practice and participates as an out-of-network provider with PPO plans — our team files claims on your behalf. Flexible financing options are also available.

Yes. Dr. Goetz works directly with your radiation oncologist and the radiation therapy team to ensure the stent achieves the positioning or shielding the treatment plan requires. If your oncology care is based outside Palm Beach County, Dr. Goetz can communicate with your radiation team remotely and fabricate the stent at our Boynton Beach office before your treatment begins.

What Our Patients Say

Featured Blogs

A dental professional is engaged with smile design software on a computer, meticulously analyzing patient images to create optimal dental solutions in a contemporary clinic
Blog

Guide to the Digital Smile Design Process for Perfect Veneer Placement

Imagine seeing your dream smile before it becomes reality, every curve, contour, and gleaming surface perfectly designed to match your unique features. This isn’t science fiction; it’s the magic of Digital Smile Design (DSD), a revolutionary approach changing lives one preview at a time! Today’s digital technology lets you collaborate in creating your ideal smile, viewing the transformation virtually before anyone touches your teeth. It’s like having a dress rehearsal for your smile makeover, ensuring the standing ovation-worthy results you deserve! At Ocean Breeze Implant & Esthetic Dentistry Prosthodontics, our team understands that your smile

Read More »
Dental mirror and zircon dentures on a dark background - Ceramic
Blog

Veneers vs. Bonding: Which Conservative Treatment Is Right for Your Goals?

The desire for a beautiful, confident smile drives many patients to seek cosmetic dental solutions. When minor imperfections like chipped teeth, small gaps, or discoloration hold you back from smiling freely, two popular conservative treatments often come to mind: dental bonding and porcelain veneers. Each offers unique advantages that can dramatically transform your smile without extensive removal of natural tooth structure, but the results, longevity, and investment differ significantly between these options. At Ocean Breeze Implant & Esthetic Dentistry, we understand that choosing between bonding and veneers can be challenging. As specialists in transformative dental

Read More »
DENTAL VENEERS -Ocean Breeze
Blog

Are Teeth Veneers Right For Me? All You Need to Know

What Are Porcelain Veneers? Dental veneers are porcelain or composite restorations that are attached to the outside part of the teeth and with which both the color and shape of the teeth are modified. Treatment with dental veneers allows you to change the structure of the front teeth, and achieve a whiter, more harmonious and beautiful smile. One of the characteristics of dental veneers is that you can get spectacular results without hardly intervening on the natural tooth. It is therefore a treatment that is modern, aesthetic and micro invasive. What Do We Achieve with

Read More »

Contact Ocean Breeze Before Your Radiation Begins

Dr. Goetz is one of approximately 150 board-certified maxillofacial prosthodontists in the United States — a specialist whose UCLA fellowship training specifically included radiation stent fabrication as part of comprehensive head and neck cancer care. If you or a patient is scheduled for head and neck radiation and has not yet been referred to a maxillofacial prosthodontist, contact us as early as possible in the treatment planning process.

Schedule your consultation at our Boynton Beach office today, or call (561) 265-1998 to speak with our team.

Book Now
Call (561) 265-1998

Get In Touch

Request an Appointment

**Requested time is not final until you receive confirmation from our office. Please do not submit any Protected Health Information (PHI).

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Are you a New or Existing Patient?
AM/PM