ACCIDENTAL DISPLACEMENT OF DENTAL IMPLANTS INTO THE NASAL CAVITY: A LITERATURE REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5671Keywords:
Dental Implants, Nasal Cavity, Implant Migration, Endoscopic RemovalAbstract
Background: Migration of dental implants into the nasal cavity is a rare but potentially serious complication, which may cause chronic discomfort, pain, recurrent sinus infections, and nasal discharge. Despite the high predictability of implant therapy, displacement into adjacent anatomical structures remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.
Aim: The aim of this review is to present the clinical characteristics of patients with dental implant migration into the nasal cavity, identify potential risk factors, and discuss preventive strategies and treatment options.
Material and Methods: A literature search was conducted in PubMed using the terms: “Dental implants displace and nasal cavity,” “Dental implants,” “migration,” and “nasal cavity.” Titles and abstracts were screened, and full texts were retrieved for relevant articles. Eight articles reporting implant migration into the nasal cavity were included and analyzed for implant localization, symptoms, time to diagnosis, and method of removal.
Results: The keyword “dental implant displaced” yielded 1,181 results, while “nasal cavity” returned 25,526 results. The combined keywords “dental implant” and “nasal cavity” identified 145 publications; after adding the term “migration,” the number of articles was reduced to 12. Following analysis, eight articles addressing implant migration into the nasal cavity were selected.
Conclusions: Although extremely rare, migration of dental implants into the nasal cavity can cause serious clinical consequences. Endoscopic removal is the treatment of choice, allowing safe extraction and concurrent management of mucosal changes. Accurate radiological assessment using CBCT or CT, careful surgical planning, appropriate implant selection, and postoperative monitoring are crucial for prevention and management of this complication.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Julia Kozłowska, Przemysław Siemiątkowski, Sylwia Skraińska, Agnieszka Kiedik , Kacper Zima, Zuzanna Pietruk, Jakub Chamier-Gliszczyński, Dominik Ryszard Płaza
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