Implants fail for a variety of reasons, although it is sometimes difficult to determine the exact cause of failure. This is especially confusing if multiple factors are contributing to the failure. Overcompression of the adjacent bone during implant placement is a potential contributing factor to implant failure that is not well-documented in the literature.
Methods: This case report reviews the concept of bone loss induced by overcompression and presents a case of implant failure with overcompression as a potential etiology. Histology, radiographs, and clinical data are presented that document the failure of 4 implants placed in the posterior mandible of a 48-year-old female patient.
Results: After uneventful implant placement, one implant exfoliated 3 weeks post-operatively. The other 3 implants were subsequently removed due to severe bone loss up to 2 months later. Histology of the area revealed nonviable bony sequestra with bacterial colonization.
Conclusions: This case highlights unusual implant failures that likely occurred due to overcompression of the bone during placement. Situations involving dense bone appear to be at increased risk for compression necrosis.
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