Atrophic mandible fracture due to dental implants: Case report

Implant placement in an edentulous area is a common restorative approach. However, in atrophic posterior mandible cases, the low bone level and the presence of the inferior alveolar nerve can introduce many limitations, along with complications such as mandibular fractures, dysesthesia, and osteomyelitis. This case report discusses an elderly patient who underwent mandibular fracture that was accompanied by osteomyelitis after multiple standard length implant placements in an atrophic mandible. In such cases, clinicians should be aware of the high risk of mandibular fractures and therefore recommended to place short implants without compensating with wide implants. Despite the efforts when mandible fractures accompanied by osteomyelitis occurs, it is crucial that timely reduction and active surgical treatment for osteomyelitis along with long-term antibiotic treatment is done in order to avoid further bone loss.