Pterygoid Implants in Severe Posterior Maxillary Atrophy: A Case Report

Abstract

A good clinician must be able to make a diagnosis and on the basis of this identify the ideal treatment plans. The choice of treatment plan depends on both the patient's needs and the clinical and anatomical conditions. Therefore, in order to have multiple alternatives it is advisable to enlarge clinical acknowledgement. The placement of pterygoid implants to rehabilitate the posterior maxillae region is little used. Pterygoid implants are non-traditional dental implants, longer than normal (up to 25mm), which are inserted into the pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone. The pterygoid bone is a very hard and compact bone and guarantees dental implant high primary stability and a safer immediate loading. To obtain a better stability of dental rehabilitation, pterygoid implants can also be used in combination with traditional dental implants and / or zygomatic implants or trans-sinus tilted implants. This technique is ideal because it has better bone quality than tuber maxillae, the patient can count teeth down to the second molar, immediate loading is possible, treatment times are limited and it is a predictable treatment. The presentation of this case report aims to highlight how and why it is necessary to consider the option of inserting pterygoid implants as a valid alternative.