Accidental Swallowing of Dental Implant: Complication of Transnasal Endoscopic Removal From Maxillary Sinus

Abstract

Transnasal endoscopic removal of displaced dental implants in the maxillary sinus can be done easily under local anesthesia. However, very little is known regarding the precaution of this technique. In this report, we present a 63-year-old man visited otolaryngologic department with displaced dental implant in the maxillary sinus. Transnasal endoscopic removal of the displaced dental implant was planned and performed. However, the displaced dental implant was lost during removal. The implant was neither seen in the other parts of the nasal cavity nor in the other parts of the oral cavity. Finally, radiographs revealed the presence of the dental implant at the level of the esophagus, although patients did not notice anything due to local anesthesia. So we conclude that operators should take into account the possibility of aspiration or swallowing of implant through posterior nasal aperture during the removal procedure. Precautions should be taken to avoid the possibility of implant aspiration or implant ingestion.