Prosthetic rehabilitation of patients with maxillary oncology defects using zygomatic implants.

PURPOSE: Prosthetics for patients after oncological resection of the upper jaw is a complex problem associated with the physiological and anatomical separation of the oral cavity and the nasal/paranasal region. This study reports the clinical results of the use of the zygomatic implants for prosthetic rehabilitation in patients with maxillectomy due to upper jaw tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 16 patients who underwent prosthetic rehabilitation using a zygomatic implant after maxillectomy period from 2021 to 2023. After the tumor was removed, immediate surgical obturators were placed. Main prosthetic rehabilitation was performed 6-12 months after tumor removal, but before that, a temporary obturator was made and used. Six-twelve months after tumor resection, 1-4 zygomatic implants were inserted into the zygomatic bone unilaterally or bilaterally. A total of 42 zygomatic implants were installed, 2 of which were unsuccessful and were removed in 1 patient. The implants were placed using the surgical guide, which was planned and prepared digitally. RESULTS: No postsurgical complications were seen, and the patients were discharged from the hospital after 7-10 days. The patients were able to return to a normal diet (hard food) after just 7 days following surgery, with no further complaints regarding function or pain, apart from the residual edema caused by the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The use of prostheses fixed on zygomatic implants in patients with maxillary defects is an effective method of prosthodontic rehabilitation in complex clinical cases after maxillectomy.

Corrigendum: Evaluation of the survival rate of short implants placed in the posterior atrophic mandible: 5-year clinical study.

The following amendments are made to the published article: Quintessence Int 2022;53:690-696; First published 17 August 2022; doi: 10.3290/j.qi.b3095013.

Evaluation of the survival rate of short implants placed in the posterior atrophic mandible: 5-year clinical study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess the long-term prognosis of short implants (5 to 6 mm) placed in the posterior region of the atrophic mandible. METHOD AND MATERIALS: The study included 81 patients with severe vertical atrophy of the bone in the posterior region. The patients had 248 short implants (5 to 6 mm) implants placed in the mandibular posterior region and 256 implants with length greater than 10 mm in the mandibular anterior region. Analysis of implant and prosthesis failures, cumulative survival rate, and marginal bone loss was determined at 1 year and 5 years of follow-up (58 ± 7 months). RESULTS: Mean marginal bone loss after 1 year of prosthetic loading was 0.74 mm for short implants and 0.72 mm for implants with length greater than 10 mm; after 5 years of prosthetic loading this was 1.27 mm for short implants and 1.31 mm for implants with length greater than 10 mm. Of 248 short implants (5 to 6 mm), six failed: four due to peri-implantitis and two due to lack of osseointegration (early rejection). Of 256 implants with length greater than 10 mm, five failed: three due to peri-implantitis and two due to lack of osseointegration (early rejection). On average, over the observation period (58 ± 7 months), the 5-year cumulative implant survival rate was 97.8% in short implants, and 98.1% in longer implants; the prosthesis cumulative survival rate was 98.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results, it was concluded that the prognosis of the use of short implants for prosthetics in the posterior resorbed mandible can be considered favorable and reasonable.