Maxillary osteosarcoma associated with a dental implant: report of a case and review of the literature regarding implant-related sarcomas

BACKGROUND: The development of malignant neoplasms has been reported as a rare complication of the use of implanted biomaterials. The majority of these cases have been sarcomas related to orthopedic hardware. The authors present the first reported case of a sarcoma arising in association with a dental implant. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 38-year-old woman developed a low-grade chondroblastic osteosarcoma of the right maxilla 11 months after receiving a titanium dental implant. She was treated with systemic chemotherapy and then a maxillary resection. As of this publication, 47 months later, she is alive and disease-free. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The use of endosseous implants has been associated with a low risk for the development of cancer. As the use of dental implants continues to expand, dentists need to be aware of this rare but devastating complication.