Zygoma Implants: All You Need to Know

If you are missing full high teeth and you have been told that you are not a good candidate for dental implants due to the high degree of bone atrophy (lack of bone in the upper jaw), do not despair. There is still a permanent solution for your upper arch-Zygoma implants.

In the past, patients with significant bone loss in the elderly jaw bore implant dentures which can be fixed to the upper jawbone using titanium implants.

But many a time there is severe bone resorption in the upper jaw (or maxilla), providing insufficient anchorage for the prosthesis. In such cases a bone graft surgery is performed. In this surgery some bone is taken from the patient's own hip region and grafted to the jaw bone. After about six months of healing, the denture is implanted into the patient's upper jaw.

Now there is a revolutionary implant technique that eliminates the need for hipbone grafting or sinus augmentation. Zygoma implants or zygomatic implant surgery involves minimal surgical procedures at reduced treatment time, without the need for painful grafting.

Developed by Prof. Branemark & ​​Nobel Biocare, Sweden, the graft-less technique, also called the Zygoma technique is used where jaws lack the necessary height and / or width to support implants.

Unlike the conventional implants, Zygoma implants are attached directly to the body of the cheekbones, medically referred to as Zygoma.

Who Needs Zygoma Implants?
Zygoma implants are appropriate for any person with missing, shaky or loose teeth and severe bone resorption in the maxilla. People of all age groups, except children, can benefit from this technique. This procedure can not be performed on patients with sinus problems.

The Procedure
The Zygoma dental implant treatment is done in three steps in just one simple dental trip.

Diagnosis of the resorbed frontal alveolar bone of the upper jaw, X-rays and necessary health checks
Tooth extraction (if required)
Dental implant post placement (At least 2 to 4 implants are used in the front of the upper jaw)
Placement of prosthetics on the same day the implants are placed

Advantages
You get a fixed row of functioning prosthetic teeth within 72 hours as opposed to the conventional implant techniques that takes up to 6 months.
Zygoma dental implant presents a graft-less solution, avoiding the use of bone grafts from other parts of the body.
They are longer than normal dental implants.
Zygoma implants are placed in one surgical procedure under general anesthesia, giving patients a less painful experience.
With the short duration of the treatment, the patient experiences significantly less discomfort.
Only a day after the surgery, the patient will be able to bite and chew their normal food (including hard and crunchy food stuff).
With this technique, you get immediate confidence boost with natural looking, functioning teeth.
It gives you an opportunity to recover the biomechanics of your original denture.
The new artificial set of fixed permanent teeth allows you to smile with confidence.
The primary advantage is that the success rate for zygoma implants is 100%.

Post-operative Care
For the longevity of Zygoma implants, it is very important to maintain proper oral hygiene. In the first 24 hours following the surgery, you must only eat soft, cold food. You must rinse your mouth with and salt or clean your teeth only 24 hours after the implants. At least 10 days later, routine cleaning around the implants and bridge along with brushing is essential.

Cost
Zygomatic implants are longer than conventional implants manufactured specifically for the purpose, hence very expensive. This procedure is performed by an expert team of maxillofacial and expert dental surgeons which adds up to the cost.