Treatment of Periodontal Diseases With Laser: Assessing the Evidence

The treatment of the moderate to advanced resorbed edentulous maxilla with a fixed prosthesis is complicated due to the presence of pneumatized maxillary sinuses posteriorly and the nasal aperture in the premaxilla. To treat patients with this condition using endosseous implants to support a functional prosthesis, grafting procedures have been advocated. The multiple surgical steps involved in the reconstruction of the resorbed maxilla, however, can be a significant barrier to patient acceptance of grafting treatment protocols. The success of graftless concepts using tilted and zygomatic implants has led to a higher case acceptance as the treatment can be accomplished in one appointment. Over the past two decades, the experience clinicians have gained using zygomatic implants has resulted in a redesign of the implant aimed at addressing the challenges associated with the treatment of patients with moderate to advanced resorbed maxillae to better serve these patients.