Zygomatic Implant Rescue in Chengdu, China: Full-Arch Rehabilitation for Severe Bone Loss

When severe upper jawbone loss makes traditional dental implants impossible, zygomatic implants offer a life-changing, graftless alternative. This landmark case was performed by Prof. Wu Dayi, Chief Technical Officer of Chengdu Anyu Dental Implant Hospital. As a direct disciple of Prof. Chen Anyu (the founder of Chinese dental implantology) and a pioneer with over 40 years of experience, 100,000+ total implant placements, and more than 1,000 successful zygomatic surgeries, Prof. Wu restored the patient's upper jaw without lengthy bone grafting. By anchoring a specialized 47.5 mm implant into the sturdy cheekbone (zygoma), the surgical team delivered immediate stability and function for full-arch restoration.

• Patient Profile: Male, 64 years old, non-smoker, with no uncontrolled systemic diseases.
• Clinical Presentation: The patient presented with near-total upper arch tooth loss and extreme alveolar bone resorption in the left maxilla due to long-term missing teeth.
• Prior Restoration: To maintain basic oral function, the patient had previously received four implants instead of a conventional All-on-6 (a technique using six implants to support a full-arch fixed prosthesis) reconstruction.
• The Dilemma: Conventional bone grafting was unviable—it would require at least six months of healing, carried high surgical complexity, and presented a significant risk of implant failure due to insufficient structural support.

Following a thorough evaluation, Prof. Wu Dayi’s team designed a targeted zygomatic implant protocol to bypass the deficient jawbone entirely:

• Precision Surgical Execution: For this technically demanding procedure, Prof. Wu expertly navigated past the boundary of the maxillary sinus to anchor a 47.5 mm zygomatic implant securely into the dense zygomatic bone while meticulously avoiding critical surrounding structures under intraoperative guidance.
• Immediate Function: The patient achieved immediate functional loading and chewing stability on the left upper jaw and was fitted with a fixed upper temporary denture on the day of surgery.
• Follow-up & Outcome: Postoperative CBCT confirmed optimal implant trajectory. At the 6-month follow-up, stable osseointegration was achieved without major complications, and the temporary prosthesis was replaced with a permanent porcelain crown, fully restoring chewing efficiency and natural aesthetics.