Implant fixture displacement into focal osteoporotic bone marrow defects in the posterior mandible: Case reports

Suk, Ji Won; Chul Kim, Bong; Lee, Jun; Lim, Hun Jun

doi:2026.64.5.157

J Korean Dent Assoc > Volume 64(5); 2026 > Article

Case Report

Journal of Korean Dental Association 2026;64(5):157-162.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22974/jkda.2026.64.5.002 Published online May 29, 2026.

Implant fixture displacement into focal osteoporotic bone marrow defects in the posterior mandible: Case reports

Ji Won Suk¹

, Bong Chul Kim¹

, Jun Lee^1,2

, Hun Jun Lim^1,3

¹Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Daejeon Dental Hospital, College of Dentistry, Wonkwang University, Daejeon, Korea
²Wonkwang Bone Regeneration Research Institute, Wonkwang University, Daejeon, Korea
³Wonkwang Dental Research Institute, Iksan, Korea

Correspondence: Hun Jun Lim, Tel: +82-42-366-112,
Email: hun216@wku.ac.kr

Received: 3 February 2026 • Revised: 23 March 2026 • Accepted: 14 April 2026

Abstract

Focal osteoporotic bone marrow defect is an asymptomatic condition characterized by localized areas of decreased trabecular bone density within the jaw and is often detected incidentally on radiographic examination. Although it generally does not require treatment, it may increase the risk of complications during dental implant placement due to insufficient primary stability in areas of low bone density. This report describes three clinical cases of implant fixture displacement into focal osteoporotic bone marrow defects in the posterior mandible. Radiographic examinations revealed ill-defined radiolucent lesions without cortical expansion at the implant sites. One patient experienced inferior alveolar nerve injury following displacement, whereas no postoperative complications were observed in the remaining cases. These findings indicate that focal osteoporotic bone marrow defects may represent an underrecognized risk factor for implant displacement, and highlight the importance of careful preoperative radiographic assessment and cautious surgical planning in areas of suspected low bone density.

Key Words: Dental Implants; Mandible; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; Bone Density