Dental implant dropped into a hollow jaw space!

Hollow jaw space is a term we use to describe an area of very low bone dentistry or no bone that is most often in the lower jawbone.

What is a hollow jaw bone? Why does it matter?

Basically a hollow jaw is an area that is deficient in bone dentistry. While a very observant dentist might find it on a CBCT, most are probably found when a dental implant drops into the space. The only concern in dentistry if if placing a implant and the implant falls or is pushed into the area.These types of x-rays pop up from time to time with dentists asking what to do.

What causes a hollow jaw bone?

No one knows for sure. It’s likely just on the far end of standard deviation curve for normal anatomy.

How fix the the jaw to allow for a future implant?

If one is fortunate enough to find it before the implant goes in, then cleaning out the area and pack some bone grafting in. Another alternative is to place an implant with a wide coronal portion. Something like a tissue level implant is nice in a situation like this.

What about a dental implant that drops into a hollow jaw? How do you retrieve a lost dental implant?

Well good luck! Best to try to remove with a long impression screw from an open tray impression coping. This is the procedure that Thapa JPD 2025 shows. You should also open the access more as it is likely too tight to easily come back out the same hole. Another suggestion I have seen that might work was to add a little ketac cement onto the end of an Allen wrench and drop that into a dried implant hex. Then let that set and counter clockwise it out. Not sure that would actually work but if you are desperate, maybe worth a try.