Nasopalatine canal and dental implant placement in the anterior maxilla: a scoping review of clinical studies.

Implant placement in the anterior maxilla may be complicated by proximity to the nasopalatine canal (NPC), particularly following post-extraction ridge remodelling. The aim of this scoping review was to map reported management strategies when the NPC interferes with implant placement and synthesize associated clinical outcomes. A comprehensive search was conducted across Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and hand-searched sources up to December 31, 2025. Eligible studies included human clinical reports describing implant placement in proximity to, or involving manipulation of, the NPC. Twenty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen studies described NPC obliteration (83 patients; 92 implants) and three described NPC repositioning (26 patients; 57 implants). Implant survival was reported as 100% (57/57 implants) in the repositioning subgroup and 95.6% (88/92 implants) in the obliteration subgroup. Neurosensory disturbances affecting the palatal mucosa of the anterior maxilla were reported in 34.6% (9/26; 95% confidence interval 19.4-53.8%) of repositioning cases and 9.6% (8/83; 95% confidence interval 5.0-17.9%) of obliteration cases; persistent altered sensation was reported only in repositioning studies. Follow-up duration and assessment methods varied considerably across studies. The available literature is characterized by small sample sizes, heterogeneous techniques, and inconsistent outcome reporting. Within these limitations, both NPC obliteration and repositioning have been described with high short- to mid-term implant survival, although neurosensory outcomes were variably reported. Standardized prospective studies with consistent definitions and objective sensory assessment are required to better characterize risks and outcomes.