Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV): it may occur after dental implantology. A mini topical review

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is one of the most frequent vestibular disorders. BPPV as a complication of Osteotome Sinus Floor Elevation (OSFE) is a complication that rarely occurs. The aim of this paper is to better understand the mechanisms underlying the BPPV after SFE with the osteotomes. This could be important for all the dental and maxillofacial surgeons that should know and manage this clinical occurrence.

The osteotome sinus floor elevation (OSFE), firstly described by Summers requires the use of a surgical mallet for striking the bone, until the optimal depth is reached. The surgical mallet develops a mechanical trauma, even if the striking is performed with a gentle percussion. The recent literature describes an average occurrence of OSFE-induced BPPV quite low, but the symptoms show to be unpleasant and severe, often able to alter the patient's daily life.

A successful remission of BPPV following treatment with a particle repositioning maneuver will be necessary and relatively urgent for the surgeons who have experienced this clinical complication. The surgeons, therefore, must be aware of these complications and about the ways to manage them.