Hematoma of the floor of the mouth and airway obstruction during mandibular dental implant placement: a case report

Background Hematoma of the floor of the mouth during mandibular dental implant placement is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication. Report A 53-year-old man developed a hematoma of the floor of the mouth following a dental implant procedure, requiring admission to the hospital. Summary The floor of the mouth is richly vascularized by a number of branches of the submental and sublingual arteries. During a dental implant procedure in the anterior zone of the mandible, perforation of the lingual cortex may invade the floor of the mouth and therefore damage structures within the sublingual space. The anatomy of the lower portion of the anterior mandibular zone, with the mylohyoid ridge, makes it particularly vulnerable to this kind of injury, particularly in patients with atrophic mandibles. Only a few cases have been reported in the literature to date.