PTERYGOID IMPLANTS – TREATMENT OPTION FOR AN ATROPHIC MAXILLA: AN ARTICLE REVIEW
Keywords:
pterygoid implants, atrophic maxilla, pterygomaxillary regionAbstract
Treating of fully or partially edentulous maxilla in the posterior part is always a challenge for an implant surgeon. Atrophic posterior maxilla has many limitations for an implant placement and prosthetic rehabilitation. Factors that are affecting implant placement are poor bone quality and quantity in the posterior part of maxilla, low level of maxillary sinus floor, difficulties in accessibility and maintaining oral hygiene. Posterior cantilevers on prosthetic construction may produce few complications, such as prosthesis fracture, screw loosening, loss of osseointegrated implant, and crestal bone resroption.
There are few options for treating maxillary edentoulism in the posterior part. Those options include maxillary sinus floor elevation, bone augmentation, zygomatic implants, short implants, tilted implants and pterygoid implants.
Pterygoid implants have been defined by the Glossary of Oral and Maxillifacial implants (GOMI) as “Implant placement through the maxillary tuberosity and into the pterygoid plate”. Pterygomaxillary region provides us an excellent space for an implant placement and prosthetic rehabilitation of posterior maxilla, without any additional surgical procedures. Implants placed in this region are also known as pterygomaxillary implants and tuberosity implants.
The aim of this article is to highlight the use of pterygoid implants as a graftless solution for treating atrophic maxilla, expressing the anatomy of the region, implant insertion technique and advantages. Also, narrative review of clinical outcomes from different articles published on Pubmed, Medscape, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar are included.
Pterygoid implants have high success rate, minimal complications and good acceptance by patients. This option is a viable alternative treatment modality for rehabilitation of patients with an atrophic posterior maxilla
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