Pterygoid Implants

It is very common to find patients who have some difficulties to place implants in the upper jaw, especially in the posterior sectors of the mouth (molar area), many of these patients have been discarded as candidates for implants due to lack of bone and are seeking a second opinion and assessment.

Pterygoid implants are a treatment alternative in most cases where there is severe atrophy in the upper jaw and where it is not possible to place implants using a conventional protocol due to poor quality and quantity of bone, or anatomical limitations Like the maxillary sinus, it is a surgical technique that requires adequate knowledge of the surrounding anatomical structures and previous training in the technique.

    
What is the technique?
     
It consists of the placement of conventional dental implants crossing the maxillary tuberosity and anchoring them in the pterygoid processes of the sphenoid bone. The implants are angled between 35º to 55º depending on the height of the tuberosity bone.
The surgical technique for placing pterygoid dental implants can be performed under local anesthesia in the office.
The surgical intervention begins with a crestal incision that extends posteriorly from the second premolar to the pterygoid process.
Drilling begins to place the dental implant until it penetrates the pterygoid process.
The minimum length of the osseointegrated implant in the pterygoid process is 15 to 20 millimeters.
Duration of the procedure 1-2 hours

Indications for Pterygoid Implants
     
Patients in whom implants can be placed in premolar areas, not in molars, and maintain bone remnant in sufficient tuberosity, both in width and height, capable of placing an implant placed obliquely in the buccolingual and mesiodistal directions.
Total toothless teeth, with similar characteristics to the previous ones, in which we need a powerful posterior reinforcement element to make fixed teeth.
Patients who want the implant treatment to be shorter and in the least number of sessions, contrary to the maxillary sinus lift.

     
Advantage
     
Patients in whom implants can be placed in premolar areas, not in molars, and maintain bone remnant in sufficient tuberosity, both in width and height, capable of placing an implant placed obliquely in the buccolingual and mesiodistal directions.
Total toothless teeth, with similar characteristics to the previous ones, in which we need a powerful posterior reinforcement element to make fixed teeth.
Patients who want the implant treatment to be shorter and in the least number of sessions, contrary to the maxillary sinus lift.

    
Disadvantages
     
As in any surgical procedure, inflammation, and bleeding
Post-operative pain in the first 12 hours after the intervention
Post-operative infection
Numbness in the operated area
Radiographically difficult to assess marginal bone loss around implants due to angulation.

It requires highly trained specialists in the technique since the navigation route for implant placement is very close to important anatomical structures such as the internal maxillary artery.