Analysis of 356 pterygomaxillary implants in edentulous arches for fixed prosthesis anchorage.

One thousand eight hundred seventeen implants were placed in the completely edentulous maxillae of 189 patients (122 female; 67 male). The patients' mean age was 60 years (range 28 to 91 years). Three hundred fifty-six of the 1,817 implants were placed in the pterygomaxillary area, and all patients were restored with complete-arch fixed detachable prostheses. The mean number of implants per maxillary prosthesis was 9.0 (range 6 to 15). During stage II surgery and before loading, 41 pterygomaxillary implants (11.5%) were not osseointegrated and were removed. After a mean loading period of 4.68 years (range 0.06 to 9.20 years), 1 additional pterygomaxillary implant was lost. Altogether, 42 of 356 pterygomaxillary implants (11.8%) were removed. Survival rates according to implant size, bone quality, and tooth position were also recorded. This study illustrates a cumulative survival rate of 88.2% for pterygomaxillary site implant placement in edentulous maxillary arches.