J Rhinol.  2008 Nov;15(2):83-91.

The Role of Otolaryngology in Dental Implantation

• Jeong JH
• Kim KT
• Chung SK

Abstract

In recent years, dental implants have become a frequently performed procedure in most dental clinics. The edentulous posterior maxilla provides a limited amount of bony volume due to atrophy of the alveolar ridge and pneumatization of the maxillary sinus. Consequently, dental implant placement in the posterior maxilla can be complicated and it becomes a matter for the otolaryngology field. However, for most otolaryngologists, knowledge of dental implantation is scarce. Therefore, consensus on the diagnosis and treatment associated with dental implants is needed. During consultation, before a dental implant, a nasal endoscope and paranasal sinus CT scan should be taken and any mucosal thickening, incidental polyps, acute sinusitis, chronic sinusitis, or malignancy should be differentiated and treated as needed. After the dental implant, acute sinusitis and migration of the dental implant into the maxillary sinus can occur because of damage to sinus mucosa or a foreign body reaction. These complications can be evaluated and treated more easily by an otolaryngologist than by a dentist. Nasal endoscopy and endoscopic sinus surgery can be applied to problems associated with dental implants.

Keyword

Dental implant; Otolaryngology; Sinus; Sinusitis

MeSH Terms

Alveolar Process
Atrophy
Consensus
Dental Clinics
Dental Implantation
Dental Implants
Dentists
Endoscopes
Endoscopy
Foreign-Body Reaction
Humans
Maxilla
Maxillary Sinus
Mucous Membrane
Otolaryngology
Polyps
Sinusitis
Dental Implants