Osteoradionecrosis of the Jaw: A Bibliometric and Network Analysis of the 150 Most‐Cited Papers

ABSTRACT Background Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) is a serious complication of head and neck radiotherapy. This bibliometric analysis maps the collaboration patterns and thematic structures of the most highly cited ORN publications. Methods A bibliometric and network analysis was performed on the 150 most‐cited ORN papers in the Web of Science Core Collection. Bibliographic metadata, including citations, authorship, institutions, journals and keywords, were exported and analysed in VOSviewer to map co‐authorship, bibliographic coupling, co‐citation and keyword co‐occurrence. Results The 150 articles accrued 11,026 Web of Science citations (h‐index 55). Over half were Level IV evidence. The United States contributed 42% of citations. Oral and maxillofacial surgery journals accounted for most citations, alongside increasing representation from multidisciplinary oncology and broader dental specialty journals. Robert E. Marx was the most‐cited author. Foundational research from the 1980s to early 2000s on staging, pathophysiology and management remained among the most cited. In contrast, year‐normalised citation scores emphasised more recent prevention‐oriented research, including associated risk factors, radiotherapy dose constraints, and preventive dental assessment and management before and after radiotherapy. ORN definitions and diagnostic criteria, such as the requirement for exposed bone, exclusion of tumour recurrence and specified non‐healing intervals, were inconsistently reported. Conclusion Within the most highly cited ORN literature, citation influence is shaped by foundational work and more recent prevention‐oriented studies emphasising dosimetry and risk stratification. ORN case definitions and key clinical information were inconsistently reported, limiting comparability among highly cited studies. The use of standardised ORN definitions and harmonised case reporting would strengthen future multicentre studies.