Long-term follow-up of 801 zygomatic implants: a single-centre study.

Abstract

Rehabilitation of the severely atrophic maxillae remains one of the most demanding challenges in implant dentistry. Zygomatic implants provide a graftless alternative that reduces morbidity and treatment time. However, long-term data exceeding a decade and including patient-reported outcomes remain limited. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients who received zygomatic implants from the year 2007 to 2024 at Rajan Dental Institute, Chennai, India. Data collected from digital archives were evaluated to calculate the cumulative survival rates of zygomatic implants. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) on comfort, speech, esthetics, self-confidence, and overall satisfaction were assessed using a Likert-scale questionnaire. A total of 449 patients were rehabilitated with 945 zygomatic implants. Of these, 382 patients rehabilitated with 801 zygomatic implants were included in the study who met the inclusion criteria. The mean follow-up was 8.6 ± 4.1 years. Twenty implants failed in 14 patients, yielding a cumulative implant survival of 97.5% and patient-based survival of 96.3%. Statistical analysis demonstrated sustained survival beyond 15 years, with rates of 97.9% (4 years), 97% (8 years), 91.2% (12 years), and 81.7% (>15 years). PROMs indicated high satisfaction: >90% of respondents reported maximal improvement across all domains. This single-center analysis, with survival rates exceeding 97% over 17 years and excellent patient-reported outcomes, suggests that zygomatic implants provide a predictable and durable solution for severely resorbed maxillae. The integration of PROMs and survival modeling highlights the importance of both biological and psychosocial parameters in defining long-term success.