Nasopalatine duct cyst associated with dental implant treatment: A case report

Maxillary anterior implants are associated with the risk of nasopalatine canal damage. Here we present the case of a 37-year-old man who developed a nasopalatine duct cyst after maxillary implant placement. The patient received an implant 3 months after the extraction of a fractured maxillary right central incisor. At a maintenance visit 9 years after the procedure, he complained of swelling and mild pain in the palatal region of the implant. A panoramic radiograph and computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a large, well-circumscribed, periapical radiolucency surrounding the apical portion of the implant and extending to the nasopalatine duct. We removed the entire lesion without removing the implant. Histopathologic examination of the resected specimen revealed a nasopalatine duct cyst. Accidental contact with the nasopalatine canal during implant surgery may have led to the development of the nasopalatine duct cyst. Careful planning using a preoperative CT scan prior to implant placement may prevent such complications.