The use of dental implants to restore edentulous jaws has become commonplace. Usually, in the maxilla, following a tooth extraction, the height of alveolar bone decreases.
This alteration in bone increases the risk of implants migrating into the sinus. In general, Caldwell-Luc and endoscopic surgery are performed to retrieve dental implants.
In this case series, we collected data from 39 patients who had the complication of implant displacement within the maxillary sinus for 25 years. All the implants were removed using the Caldwell-Luc technique.
Implant migration happened following functional loading, during the prosthetic procedure, due to lack of osseointegration in 3 patients, and during implant placement into the fresh socket in 3 patients.
In the remaining cases, migration occurred preoperatively or postoperatively and prior to implant loading. Insufficient bone quantity is sometimes causing the implant to migrate to the maxillary sinus.
In case of minimal bone height, a sinus lift before implant placement should be conducted. Retrieval
of an implant pushed inside the maxillary antrum using the Caldwell Luc approach proved to be a reliable technique.
Tooth loss or extraction in the posterior part of the upper jaw due to trauma, malformation, periodontal disease, and dental caries leads to edentulism.
Edentulate area in the molar and premolar segment of the upper jaw gives rise to a decrease in bone mass and causes bone resorption.
Dental implant placement in the edentulate areas is the treatment of choice to restore function and esthetics.
This procedure is safe and has an excellent prognosis. Panoramic and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans before implant insertion are imperative to examine residual alveolar bone volume, features, and landmarks.
If the height of the alveolar ridge is inadequate, sinus elevation should be performed through a sinus lift to enhance the amount of bone in the upper jaw. Failure to appropriately plan and assess the bone prior to implant surgery may result in complications such as dental implant dislocation within the sinus.
Migration of dental implants inside the maxillary sinus can induce severe effects, including sensory disorder, sinusitis, and oroantral fistula.
The dislocated implant can unsettle the anatomy of the sinus
and disturb the mucociliary escalator in the sinus membrane.
Implant migration within the maxillary sinus might occur during implant placement or postoperatively, during osteointegration, after implant load, or during prosthetic restoration.
Maxillary sinus pneumatization, extremely resorbed bone, excessive bite force, bruxism, absence of primary stability, inexperienced surgeon, over-drilling, intense tapping, peri-implantitis bone loss, and considerable pressure upon nonintegrated implant removal may result in implant push inside the sinus.
This paper aims to present the causes of displaced dental implants in the maxillary sinus.
