Unilateral Alveolar Palate Cleft – Zygoma Implant Rehabilitation

Category: Implantology

Autors: Duarte F., Ramos C., Mesquita A.

Reference: Aesthetic & Implant Dentistry (Ed. Port.) 2008; 3(3):33-37

Abstract: The rehabilitation of the severely atrophied edentulous maxilla, poses a great challenge to surgeons and prosthodontics that work on this particular area. The classic approach implies bone augmentation techniques by means of bone grafting, bone distraction techniques and others. All of these require major surgery, sometimes associated with morbidity at donor and receptor sites and functional rehabilitation of the patient must occur in two surgical stages.
Since the development of the zygoma implants by Per-Ingvar Brånemark, there’s an alternative to bone grafting techniques, using the body of the zygomatic bone as major point of anchorage to a intraoral osteointegrated implant. This procedure allows the patient to regain orofacial function in only one surgical stage, with high predictability, less morbidity, time spend and costs.
The presented case report describes the clinical and surgical management of a patient with unilateral alveolar cleft associated to severe posterior maxilla bone resorption and intents to expose the advantages of the zygoma procedure.