A patient with terminal cancer — what treatment is NOT appropriate to provide?

Correct answer: B. Dental implants

• A. Providing dentures can be appropriate if they significantly improve quality of life — function and nutrition are important even in terminal care.
• B. DENTAL IMPLANTS are NOT appropriate for a patient with terminal cancer because: (1) implants require long-term osseointegration and maintenance that the patient may not live to benefit from, (2) patients on chemotherapy, radiation, or bisphosphonates may have impaired healing and osseointegration, (3) the quality-of-life benefit is questionable given the prognosis. Palliative dental care should focus on symptom relief, comfort, and maintaining function — not long-term reconstructive procedures.
• C. Extracting symptomatic teeth that are causing pain IS appropriate in terminal cancer patients — it addresses immediate comfort.
• D. Palliative pain management IS appropriate for terminal cancer patients — it is a core component of end-of-life dental care.