Long-term outcomes of maxillary sinus health after zygomatic implant treatment:a 16-year follow-up study

doi:10.12337/zgkqzzxzz.2025.06.004

Abstract

Abstract: Objective Maxillary sinusitis is the most common biological complication in zygomatic implant therapy, and the surgical technique and the pathway of zygomatic implants have long been considered closely associated with the occurrence of maxillary sinusitis. Although the exact pathogenic causes of maxillary sinusitis following zygomatic implant treatment remain unclear, clinicians continue to explore different surgical approaches to reduce the risk of maxillary sinusitis. The authors of this paper first introduced a zygomatic implant surgery combined with maxillary sinus floor elevation in 2010. Methods This study aims to investigate the long-term outcomes of maxillary sinus health in patients who underwent bilateral zygomatic implant treatment from 2007 to 2008, with a minimum follow-up period of 16 years. Results A total of 16 patients were included in the study, of whom 13 could be contacted. Only one patient presented with a history of recurrent maxillary sinusitis affecting the left side. Six patients agreed to undergo updated cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) examinations. Another asymptomatic patient presented with sinus opacity, and two more patients presented with radiological signs of maxillary sinus membrane thickening. Conclusion Zygomatic implant combined with the sinus floor elevation without bone grafting does not necessarily cause maxillary sinusitis.

Key words: Zygomatic implant, Sinusitis, Oroantral communication, Biological complication

Zhou Guohui. Long-term outcomes of maxillary sinus health after zygomatic implant treatment:a 16-year follow-up study[J]. Chinese Journal of Oral Implantology, 2025, 30(3): 217-223.

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