Anchor in the cheekbone (zygoma) when the upper jaw bone is too thin or compromised for conventional implant placement. For patients told elsewhere they aren't implant candidates — rarely available outside major cities, available at Suncoast in Goderich.
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Many of our zygomatic implant patients arrive at Suncoast having been refused conventional implants at one or more other practices. The refusals are often correct given what the previous practice could offer — and just as often, they don't account for zygomatic placement, which works specifically when the upper jaw bone has been lost.
Conventional dental implants anchor in the alveolar ridge — the part of the jawbone that used to hold your natural teeth. When that bone is severely thin or lost (a condition called maxillary atrophy), conventional implants don't have enough bone to hold onto. Bone grafting can sometimes rebuild the ridge, but the grafting process adds 6 to 12 months to treatment, requires its own surgery, and doesn't always succeed.
Zygomatic implants are longer titanium implants — typically 30 to 55 millimeters — that pass through the maxilla (upper jaw) and anchor in the zygoma (cheekbone). The zygoma is naturally dense, doesn't atrophy in the way the jaw ridge does, and provides reliable anchoring for full-arch restorations without requiring bone grafting.
Background on the procedure is available from the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. At Suncoast, zygomatic placement is most often combined with pterygoid implants at the back of the arch and conventional implants at the front when bone allows — a hybrid approach that gives the strongest result. All performed under on-site general anesthesia by Dr. Byron Larsen.
Zygomatic cases are more involved than conventional implant procedures. Most follow this sequence over 4 to 8 months from consultation to final restoration.
We review your case, take a CBCT scan to confirm zygomatic bone density and exact anatomy, and design a treatment plan. You'll see the surgical plan visualized before committing.
Custom surgical guides are designed from your imaging and 3D-printed in our on-site SprintRay lab. The plan is reviewed in detail with you in a follow-up consultation.
Zygomatic placement is performed under on-site general anesthesia delivered by a London Health Sciences Centre anesthesiologist. The procedure takes 3 to 5 hours depending on whether one or both arches are being treated and whether pterygoid implants are included.
In most cases, fixed temporary teeth are attached the same day so you don't leave without teeth. In a minority of cases where immediate loading isn't safe, temporary teeth are added at a follow-up appointment a few weeks later.
Healing takes 3 to 6 months. The permanent prosthesis — typically zirconia, porcelain, or hybrid — is fitted once the implants are confirmed integrated. Long-term follow-up at regular intervals to monitor implant health.
If conventional implants aren't possible because of bone loss, the two paths forward are zygomatic placement or staged bone grafting. Here's how they compare.
| Feature | Zygomatic Implants | Bone Grafting + Conventional Implants |
|---|---|---|
| Bone grafting required | ||
| Total treatment time | 4–8 months | 12–18 months |
| Number of surgeries | 1 | 2–3 |
| Same-day teeth possible | ||
| Works when sinus lift has failed | Depends | |
| Requires general anesthesia | Usually IV sedation |
Frequently combined with zygomatic placement to anchor the back of the arch — the dense pterygoid bone provides reliable support.
ImplantsThe full umbrella of options for patients told they aren't implant candidates.
TechnologyReal-time computer navigation during placement — especially valuable on zygomatic cases where angle precision is critical.
Common questions when researching zygomatic implants.
Bring your previous imaging or scans if you have them — we'll do our own CBCT and tell you honestly whether zygomatic placement is right for your case. Free consultation with Dr. Byron Larsen.