Zygomatic implants in Houston
Zygomatic implants anchor in the cheekbone instead of the upper jaw, so fixed upper teeth are still possible when too much jawbone is gone for regular implants. At Omega, Dr. Jonathan Rosenstein, our board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, places them. The 3D CBCT scan at your consultation shows whether you need them: (713) 322-7474.
Book a consultationWhat a zygomatic implant is
A zygomatic implant is much longer than the implants used for a single tooth. Instead of sitting in the ridge of the upper jaw, it runs at an angle from the back of the mouth up into the zygomatic bone, the cheekbone. That bone is dense, and it doesn't shrink after teeth are lost the way the jaw ridge does, which is why it can hold an implant when the jaw can't.
Zygomatic implants hold a full upper arch, not a single tooth. The usual plan pairs two zygomatic implants in the back with two or more regular implants in the front, where more bone tends to remain. When the front is thin too, four zygomatic implants can carry the whole arch, an approach often called quad zygoma. Either way, the implants support a fixed bridge, the same kind of non-removable teeth as All-on-4.
Who needs zygomatic implants
Most people told they have bone loss don't. A bone graft or sinus lift rebuilds moderate loss, and angled implants can often use the bone that's already there. Zygomatic implants come into the conversation when the upper jaw has lost so much bone that those options would mean months of grafting, or wouldn't work at all.
That usually looks like one of these:
• Years of wearing an upper denture, with the ridge worn thin underneath it.
• A sinus that has dropped into the space where implants would normally go.
• Grafts or implants in the upper jaw that have already failed.
• Wanting fixed teeth without going through staged grafting first.
They're only for the upper jaw, because that's where the cheekbone is. The health questions that matter for any implant surgery matter here too, including diabetes control, smoking, past radiation to the head and neck and certain bone medications, so we go through your history before anything is planned.
How treatment works at Omega
Planning comes first. The implant's path runs close to the sinus and the eye socket, so Dr. Rosenstein plans it on the 3D CBCT scan taken at your consultation, before surgery is booked.
Surgery is done here in our Midtown office. You'll have IV sedation or, for specific cases, general anesthesia given by our visiting physician anesthesiologist. Which one fits your case is decided at the consultation.
When the implants seat firmly enough, a fixed temporary bridge can go on shortly after surgery, so you don't leave without teeth. If they don't, we protect them and attach the teeth once they've healed rather than rush it. The final bridge is made after several months of healing, once the implants have fused with the bone.
How long they last, and the risks
Zygomatic implants have a long track record. A 2016 systematic review in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery pooled 4,556 zygomatic implants in 2,161 patients and found 95.21% still in place at 12 years, with most failures happening in the first six months after surgery.
This is still a bigger operation than regular implants, and the review tracked the problems that come with it. Sinus inflammation (sinusitis) is among those reported most often. Others include infection of the gum around the implant, numbness in the cheek or lip and, rarely, injury near the eye socket. That's why the 3D planning is careful and why an oral and maxillofacial surgeon places them.
What zygomatic implants cost
There's no zygomatic fee on our published schedule yet, so we quote it in writing at your consultation, after the CBCT scan. The number depends on how many zygomatic and regular implants your case needs, the temporary and final bridges, and the anesthesia. IV sedation is $1,500 per appointment on our schedule; general anesthesia, when a case calls for it, is quoted separately.
We haven't found published U.S. cost figures from a clinical or industry source, so we won't put a market range on this page that we can't back up. Financing through Cherry, Affirm and Sunbit can spread the cost.
Who does it here
Dr. Jonathan Rosenstein, our board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, places zygomatic implants at Omega. Our restorative dentists design and fit the bridge that goes on them, and if your gums need treatment first, our periodontist, Dr. Shirin Farhadian, works in the same building. The CBCT scanner is on site, so the scan, the plan, the surgery and the teeth all happen in one place.
Dr. Jonathan Rosenstein, oral & maxillofacial surgeon · Meet the implant team
Zygomatic implants in Midtown Houston
We're at 106 W Gray St in Midtown, between Downtown and the Texas Medical Center, with parking on site, minutes from Montrose, River Oaks, the Heights and the Museum District. Open Monday to Friday 9 to 5 and Saturday 9 to 3. The 3D CBCT scan is taken at your consultation, and you leave knowing whether zygomatic implants are right for your upper jaw or whether a simpler option will do.
Frequently asked questions
What are zygomatic implants?
Zygomatic implants are long dental implants anchored in the cheekbone (the zygomatic bone) instead of the upper jaw. They're used when the upper jaw has too little bone left to hold regular implants, and they support a fixed full arch of upper teeth, usually alongside regular implants in the front of the mouth.
Am I a candidate for zygomatic implants?
You may be if you've lost most or all of your upper teeth and have been told there isn't enough bone for implants, or if grafts or implants in the upper jaw have failed. Many people with bone loss don't need them, though: a graft or angled implants often work. The 3D CBCT scan at your consultation shows which applies to you.
Are zygomatic implants safe?
They're a well-studied option: a 2016 systematic review of 4,556 zygomatic implants found 95.21% still in place at 12 years. It's a bigger surgery than regular implants, with risks such as sinus inflammation, gum infection around the implant, numbness and, rarely, injury near the eye socket. That's why the planning is done on a 3D scan and the surgery by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
How much do zygomatic implants cost in Houston?
We quote zygomatic implants in writing at your consultation, after the CBCT scan, because the number of implants, the bridge and the anesthesia vary from case to case. IV sedation is $1,500 per appointment on our schedule. We haven't found published U.S. cost data we can stand behind, so we don't quote a market range. Call (713) 322-7474 to book the consultation.
Will I be asleep for zygomatic implant surgery?
You'll have IV sedation, which leaves most patients with little or no memory of the procedure, or, for specific cases, general anesthesia given by our visiting physician anesthesiologist. We decide which one fits your case at the consultation, and either way you'll need someone to drive you home.
Can zygomatic implants be used in the lower jaw?
No. They anchor in the cheekbone, so they only support upper teeth. When the lower jaw has lost bone, the options are different: angled All-on-4 implants, grafting or, in some cases, a custom subperiosteal implant. We'll walk through what fits at the consultation.
Ready to talk it through?
The fastest way to a clear answer is a consultation. Call (713) 322-7474 or book online. Dental Implants in Houston