NobelZygoma
When the upper jaw has too little bone left for any conventional implant, zygomatic implants bypass it entirely and anchor in the cheekbone. This is specialist surgery for people who have run out of ordinary options.
At a glance
- Anchors in
- The zygoma, the cheekbone
- Indication
- Severe upper-jaw bone loss
- Main alternative
- Bone grafting, often over a year
- Typical protocol
- Graftless; often immediately loaded
- Anaesthesia
- Sedation or general anaesthesia
- Availability
- Listed in Nobel's current Canadian range
Who this is for
The upper jaw resorbs faster than the lower, and the back of it is worst affected because the sinus sits directly above. After years without teeth, or following tumour surgery or trauma, there may be too little bone anywhere in the upper arch to hold an implant.
The conventional route rebuilds the jaw with grafts and waits months before placing implants. Zygomatic implants instead pass up alongside or through the sinus and anchor in the cheekbone, which is dense and almost always intact, avoiding the graft entirely.
Nobel's place in this
Nobel Biocare's zygomatic line descends from the same Brånemark research that produced conventional implants; Brånemark himself developed the zygomatic technique for patients with severely resorbed upper jaws. Nobel's catalogue documents zygomatic implants and their components as a distinct section, and NobelZygoma is listed in its current Canadian range. Straumann also makes a zygomatic system.
Being realistic
Zygomatic placement is considerably more invasive than standard implant surgery, performed under sedation or general anaesthesia by a surgeon with specific training. The anatomy involved, sinus, orbit, nerves, allows less margin for error, recognised complications include sinus problems, and revision is much harder than for a conventional implant.
For someone otherwise facing a lifetime with an unstable upper denture, it can be genuinely life-changing. But choose it knowing what it involves, and ask specifically about the surgeon's experience with this technique rather than with implants generally. For this procedure more than any other, that number dominates the outcome.
Questions worth asking your dentist
- How many zygomatic cases have you personally performed, and over what period?
- What are my realistic alternatives, including grafting?
- What anaesthesia is used, and what is recovery actually like?
- What are the specific risks given my anatomy?
- Will I have fixed teeth immediately, or is there a healing period?
- What happens if one fails, what are my options then?
Related systems
Brånemark System
The conventional line from the same research lineage.
NobelActive
The standard option where bone volume permits.
References
- Nobel Biocare. Product Catalog, Edition 2024/2025. Catalogue 89351, Zygomatic section.
- Nobel Biocare. Implants catalogue. Nobel Biocare Canada, nobelbiocare.com/en-ca/catalog/implants.
Specifications compiled from Nobel Biocare's publicly available product literature and Canadian product pages. Manufacturer performance claims are identified as such. DentalImplantInfo.ca is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Nobel Biocare. Nobel Biocare, NobelActive, NobelParallel, NobelReplace, NobelPearl, NobelZygoma, Brånemark System, TiUnite, TiUltra, Xeal and NobelProcera are trademarks of their respective owners, used here for identification and educational purposes.