Comparative evaluation of direct sinus lift with bone graft and zygoma implant for atrophic maxilla.

INTRODUCTION: Implant rehabilitation of atrophic maxilla is challenging. The aim of this manuscript is to compare the clinical outcome of rehabilitation of atrophic maxilla (long span) by zygomatic implants (ZI) versus conventional sinus lift with augmentation procedures dental implants (SLAP-DI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective record analysis of a cohort of 25 patients fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria, over a period of 6 years were performed. The patients had been either treated with ZI or SLAP-DI. The outcome measures were: prosthesis, implant and augmentation failures, any complications, patients' number of days with total or partial impaired activity, time to function and number of dental visits, assessed by independent assessors from records. The data was analyzed using SPSS with P </= 0.05. RESULTS: There were 16 (64%) men and 11 (44%) had ZI while 14 (56%) underwent SLAP-DI. There were no prosthesis or implant failures in this cohort. Between ZI and SLAP-DI, there was no gender difference (P = 0.648), border line significance in minor complication (P = 0.075), with less complication encountered in SLAP-DI than the ZI. None of the cases had major complications that required hospitalization or severe medical therapy. Of the 14 cases that underwent SLAP, 11 (78.6%) had no augmentation failure (resorption <10%). ZI had older age (P = 0.000), with greater number of teeth missing (P = 0.002), with lesser time for functional loading (P = 0.000), required less number of visit to dentist (P = 0.000), and lesser bone loss at insertion site (P = 0.005). DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION: The results are discussed in light of previous pertinent literature. This short term (~ 1 year follow-up) suggest that SLAP-DI and ZI have certain similar features. There is no statistical difference in outcome barring the time needed to functional loading (1.3 days vs. 444.3 days). Relatively more complications were reported for ZI, but had no statistical significance. Long-term and multi-center data are needed to confirm the results.