Disappearance of a dental implant after migration into the maxillary sinus: an unusual case

Abstract

Migration of dental implants into the maxillary sinus is uncommon. However, poor bone quality and quantity in the posterior maxilla can increase the potential for this complication to arise during implant placement procedures. The aim of this report is to present a dental implant that migrated into the maxillary sinus and disappeared. A 53-year-old male patient was referred to us by his dentist after a dental implant migrated into his maxillary sinus. The displaced implant was discovered on a panoramic radiograph taken five days before his referral. Using computed tomography, we determined that the displaced dental implant was not in the antrum. There was also no sign of oroantral fistula. Because of the small size of the displaced implant, we think that the implant may have left the maxillary sinus via the ostium.