Nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp) has become an important research subject in the field of oral implant materials owing to its favorable biocompatibility, osteoconductivity and surface activity. nHAp can promote the adhesion and differentiation of osteoblasts and improve early osteogenic response, and act as the inorganic component of composite scaffolds to perform space maintenance and osteoconduction. Current evidence is mainly derived from preclinical studies, and there are substantial differences among studies in material composition, preparation technology, models and evaluation indicators. Some clinical studies adopt multi-component composite systems, making it difficult to attribute therapeutic effects solely to nHAp. In addition, inconsistent results are reported regarding new bone formation and implant stability between different systems and control materials. This paper mainly analyzes the application of nHAp in implant surface modification, repair of implant-related bone defects and maxillary sinus elevation, so as to provide references for the optimized design, clinical application and further research of nHAp materials.