What Is a Zygomatic Implant?

Chelsea Thomas
November 30, 2020

Your jawbone is maintained and kept dense due to the pressure and stimulus of chewing. So, if you’ve lost teeth, you may have heard your dentist talk about bone loss or loss in density.

Many people get dental implants to help preserve jaw bone density. But what if you don't have enough bone density in the first place to get traditional dental implant surgery?

Zygomatic dental implants: an alternative to traditional dental implants

So, you don't have enough bone density to get traditional dental implants. Are traditional dentures your only option? 

Not necessarily! Advancements in technology and evolving dental practices led to the creation of a new alternative: zygomatic dental implants.

Who are zygomatic dental implants for?

Zygomatic implants are designed specifically for patients with bone loss. If your dentist thinks your bone loss is too great to receive a traditional dental implant, you may be a candidate for a zygomatic dental implant.

How zygomatic dental implants work

Zygomatic implants sit at an angle and are placed partially in the cheekbone (which is more dense) and partially in the jaw bone.

Zygomatic implants are typically a little longer that traditional dental implants due to this placement, which provides great support and stability to the implant.

Do you need a bone graft to get a zygomatic implant? 

A bone graft is often beneficial to help aid the grafting of a dental implant in your jaw if your dentist thinks your jaw bone is not dense enough on its own. But zygomatic dental implants don't necessarily require a bone graft to fuse with your bone.

With traditional dental implants, a patient with bone loss could typically expect bone grafting, which can add a significant amount of time (6 months to a year) to the implant treatment timeline.

But with the zygomatic implant procedure, dental surgeons can provide the same full mouth restorations in much less time. 

Are zygomatic dental implants right for you? 

Depending on your health situation, a zygomatic dental implant may be a better solution for you than a traditional dental implant.

The best way to determine your needs is to schedule a consultation with a dental implant dentist. Heads up: not every dental implant dentist works with zygomatic dental implants, but they should have a good feel for which option is best suited for you.

At Britely, we offer complimentary consultations for situations just like this. If you're wondering whether you should consider traditional dental implants or alternatives like zygomatic dental implants to get your smile back, just pick up the phone and give us a call

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