Some patients’ x-rays show that their jaws don’t contain enough bone to support implants. This often means that patients need to consider having a bone graft, which can add a significant amount of time onto their treatment plan.

However, there is another option that could be suitable for many of these patients. Zygomatic implants are longer, anchoring to the cheekbone instead of the jaw, providing a viable alternative for many patients with poor bone density.

If the amount of bone in your jaw is only moderately poor, your dentist may use a combination of zygomatic and standard implants. Dentists sometimes use zygomatic implants as part of an “all-on-four” or “all-on-six” procedure, enabling patients to have their replacement teeth fitted on the same day.