A RETROSPECTIVE MULTICENTRIC STUDY OF 56 PATIENTS TREATED WITH 92 PTERYGOID IMPLANTS FOR PARTIAL/ FULL ARCH IMPLANT SUPPORTED FIXED REHABILITATION: IMPLANT AND PROSTHESIS SUCCESS RATE

T. Tealdo¹, F. Gelpi^2*, F. Grivetto³, E. Vallerga⁴, A. Tfaily⁵, D. De Santis², C. Alberti⁶ and M. Bevilacqua⁷

¹Private Practice in Alba (CN), Italy;
²Head and Neck Department, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Pediatrics and Gynecology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy;
³Maggiore della Carità di Novara Hospital, Piemonte Orientale University, “Amedeo Avogadro” Novara, Italy;
⁴ Dental Hygienist, Private Practitioner in Alba (CN), Italy;
⁵ MD Specialization School in Health Statistics & Biometry, Department of Diagnostics & Public Health, University of
Verona, Verona, Italy;
⁶ Private Practitioner in Rosà (VI), Italy;
⁷ Private Practitioner in Boves (CN), Italy

*Correspondence to:
Federico Gelpi, DDS
Head and Neck Department,
Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Pediatrics and Gynecology,
University of Verona,
Verona, Italy
e-mail: federico.gelpi@libero.it

Received:  26 July  2023 Accepted: 06 September 2023

2038-4106(2023) Copyright © by BIOLIFE This publication and/or article is for individual use only and may not be further reproduced without written permission from the copyright holder. Unauthorized reproduction may result in financial and other penalties. Disclosure: all authors report no conflicts of interest relevant to this article.

ABSTRACT

In the case of severe atrophic patients, the search for native bone can be extended beyond the anatomical limits of the oral cavity. So remote anchorage solutions could involve the pterygomaxillary complex composed of the maxillary tuberosity, the pyramidal process of the palatine bone and the pterygoid pillar. Pterygoid implants are typically placed in this zone to rehabilitate patients affected by severe maxillary atrophy. This study’s aim consists of the surgical and prosthetic success rate evaluation concerning the pterygoid implants placed to support fixed partial or full arch rehabilitation without a cantilever. All team members designed and conceived this retrospective multicenter study (performed in three different clinical offices) to evaluate the reliability and predictability of this anatomically guided surgical technique without immediate loading. The study was successful with 100 per cent surgical success and all torque values >=45 N/cm considered as a threshold value. The series comprised 56 people who underwent 92 procedures. The male-to-female ratio was close to one (27 men, 29 women). The mean age (± SD) was 64.0±9.3 years (range 41-85 years). Only one prosthetic failure was recorded in a woman aged 67 years receiving a full arch pterygoid implant. Pterygoid implants supported by fixed rehabilitation represent a reliable strategic solution for treating severe atrophic posterior maxilla.

KEYWORDS: pterygoid implants; cantilever free, insertion torque, fixed rehabilitation, atrophic maxilla, graftless surgery