Zygomatic Implants in Turkey — Istanbul
Zygomatic Implants in Turkey: Fixed Teeth Without Bone Grafting
Told you don't have enough bone for dental implants? In selected cases of severe upper-jaw bone loss, zygomatic implants anchor into the cheekbone instead of the jaw. Whether fixed temporary teeth can be placed at the time of surgery is decided on the day, from stability and the prosthetic plan. This is more complex surgery than conventional implant placement — at our Istanbul clinic it is planned and performed by Dr. Aykut Gürel, an Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon.
In short
In selected cases of severe upper-jaw bone loss, zygomatic implants offer an alternative to a staged grafting route. Because they anchor near the sinus and the orbit, this is maxillofacial surgery, not routine implantology— at Dr. Gürel's clinic in Istanbul it is planned on three-dimensional imaging and performed with guided surgery. Whether fixed temporary teeth can be placed at the time of surgery is decided from stability and the prosthetic plan, and published data show most failures occur within the first six months, so the follow-up arrangement matters as much as the operation.
What Is a Zygomatic Implant?
A zygomatic implant is a specialized dental implant that anchors into the cheekbone (zygoma) rather than the upper jaw bone. While standard implants are 8–16 mm long, zygomatic implants range from 30–55 mm, bypassing the deteriorated jaw bone entirely.
This technique eliminates the need for bone grafting procedures such as sinus lifting, which typically require 6–12 months of healing before implants can be placed. With zygomatic implants, patients can receive fixed teeth on the same day as surgery. For the clinical details of the procedure itself, see our zygomatic implant treatment page.
What a Zygomatic Implant Quote Has to Cover
No figure is published here: one given before examination would not be reliable, and two totals are only comparable when they cover the same items. Because this is more complex surgery than conventional implant placement, a quote also has to say who manages a complication and what that would cost — that belongs in the price rather than being settled afterwards.
| Treatment | Items the quote should list separately | What moves the total |
|---|---|---|
| Zygomatic implants — severe upper-jaw bone loss | Zygomatic implants and any conventional implants alongside them, anaesthetic arrangement, temporary and definitive prosthesis quoted separately | Number of zygomatic implants, surgical technique, who manages a complication and where |
| All-on-4 — where bone is sufficient | Which jaw, implant count, extractions, temporary and definitive prosthesis | Implant count, prosthesis material, whether bone or soft tissue procedures are needed |
Travel, accommodation and time away from work sit outside any treatment quote. Because most reported failures occur within the first six months, the arrangement for review and for managing a complication after you return home belongs in the quote rather than being settled afterwards.
The difference comes from lower clinic overheads and the exchange rate — not from different implant systems or a compressed protocol. For a full breakdown of what determines the price, see our zygomatic implant cost guide.
Why Patients Travel to Turkey for This Procedure
- Specialist scarcity at home. Zygomatic implant placement is a maxillofacial surgery procedure, not routine implantology. In many countries only a handful of clinics offer it, with long waiting lists and referral chains.
- Surgeon-led treatment. In Istanbul your case is planned and operated by the surgeon himself — not coordinated by a sales team and delegated on the day.
- Fewer staged procedures in suitable cases. Where a grafting route would require its own healing period before implants, this approach can avoid that stage — but suitability is decided by examination, not in advance.
- A quote you can actually compare. Each item is listed separately, and travel and accommodation are named as costs that sit outside the treatment quote.
Who Needs Zygomatic Implants?
- Patients with severe upper jaw bone loss where standard implants cannot be placed
- Patients who have been wearing removable dentures for many years and have significant bone resorption
- Those who have had failed bone grafting or sinus lifting procedures
- Patients for whom a staged grafting route, which requires a healing period before implants can be placed, is not the preferred plan after the options have been discussed
- Cancer or trauma patients who have lost part of their upper jaw
Success Rates — What the Evidence Shows
According to PubMed, an updated systematic review of 68 studies covering 4,556 zygomatic implants in 2,161 patients reported a 12-year cumulative survival rate of 95.2%, with most failures occurring in the first six months after surgery (Chrcanovic et al., J Oral Maxillofac Surg, 2016 DOI). The same review sets out the reported complications: sinusitis in 2.4% of cases, soft tissue infection in 2.0%, paresthesia in 1.0% and oroantral fistula in 0.4% — adding that these figures may be underestimates, because many of the included studies did not report complication rates at all. Its conclusion names sinusitis as the main complication and notes it can appear several years after the implant surgery.
Smaller prospective series exist alongside the pooled review — Bedrossian followed 36 patients treated with 74 zygomatic and 98 anterior maxillary implants over seven years (Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants, 2010 PubMed), and Aparicio and colleagues set out indications, techniques and outcomes together with the zygomatic success code (Periodontol 2000, 2014 DOI). Series of this size describe selected patients treated by particular teams.
None of these figures is a personal forecast. They describe studied groups, with the limits the authors state. What your own result depends on is whether the case is suitable, the surgical technique chosen, and whether complications are recognised and managed — which is also why follow-up after you return home has to be arranged before treatment, not after.
The Zygoma All-on-4 Protocol
The most common approach combines zygomatic and conventional implants:
- 2 zygomatic implants placed in the posterior region (one on each side)
- 2–4 standard implants placed in the anterior region (front of the jaw)
- A full-arch fixed bridge is attached to all implants
- Immediate loading — temporary fixed teeth on the same day
For patients with sufficient bone who need a full arch, conventional All-on-4 treatment or full-mouth implants may be the simpler route — the CBCT scan determines which protocol fits your anatomy.
Treatment Process
1. 3D Assessment and Digital Planning
A cone-beam CT (CBCT) scan provides a detailed 3D view of the jaw, cheekbone, and sinus anatomy. Using specialized planning software, the exact position, angle, and length of each implant is determined before surgery.
2. Planning and, Where Suitable, a Surgical Guide
In suitable cases a patient-specific surgical guide can be made from the digital plan to help transfer it to the mouth. A guide improves accuracy measurably but does not make the placement exact: across 20 studies and 2,238 implants, static guided surgery deviated on average 1.2 mm at the entry point and 1.4 mm at the apex, and the authors ask for a safety margin of at least 2 mm to be respected. Guided placement is planned around that margin rather than in place of it.
3. Surgery Day
The procedure is performed under general anesthesia or deep sedation. Zygomatic implants are placed into the cheekbone, and standard implants are placed anteriorly. Surgery typically takes 2–3 hours. Same-day temporary fixed teeth are attached before the patient leaves.
4. Final Prosthesis
Once healing and review findings support it, the temporary prosthesis is replaced with the definitive one. Integration takes months rather than weeks, and the date is confirmed at review rather than set in advance. Material is chosen for the space available, the loading, appearance, repair options and maintenance.
Treatment Timeline for International Patients
- First visit: consultation, the imaging the assessment calls for, and surgery. Whether a fixed temporary is placed at the same time depends on stability and the prosthetic plan. A review follows before you travel home. The length of the visit is set after examination.
- At home: the healing period, measured in months. This is also the window in which most reported failures occur, so the review arrangement for this period should be agreed before you travel — including who you contact and how sinus symptoms would be assessed.
- Second visit: the definitive prosthesis is fitted and adjusted, once review findings support it.
Before you travel home you receive your full treatment record, imaging and care plan — every case is documented and traceable.
Choosing Where to Have Zygomatic Surgery: 4 Questions to Ask
- Who actually operates?Ask for the surgeon's name and specialty. Zygomatic placement is maxillofacial surgery — "our implant team" is not an answer.
- Is the surgery guided? Freehand zygomatic placement leaves less margin for error near the sinus and orbit. Ask whether CBCT-based guided surgery is used.
- Which implant system — and is it designed for the zygoma? See our guide to zygomatic implant brand selection.
- What happens if something goes wrong after you fly home? Ask how follow-up and records are handled before you book.
Why Choose Dr. Gürel in Istanbul?
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Specialist — not a general dentist
- Digital planning and, where suitable, guided surgery — with the safety margin the evidence asks for
- JD zygomatic implants and the Z-GO Guide system are used for zygomatic cases at Dentopol Ümraniye; you can ask which system and model will be used; the manufacturer's terms for it are clarified before treatment begins
- CBCT assessment where the examination indicates it
- International patients are seen at Dentopol Ümraniye, Istanbul; the clinic and appointment date are confirmed before travel.
- Full documentation for international patients — written treatment record, imaging and care plan to take home
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a zygomatic implant quote cover?
No figure is published here, because one given before examination would not be reliable. A quote should separate the zygomatic implants and any conventional implants placed alongside them, the anaesthetic arrangement, imaging and planning, the temporary prosthesis and the definitive prosthesis, and the reviews after you return home. Because this is more complex surgery than conventional implant placement, it should also state who manages a complication if one occurs and what that would cost — that is part of the price, not a separate matter.
Is it safe to have zygomatic implant surgery abroad?
Safety depends far more on who operates, and on case selection, than on the country. This is maxillofacial surgery carried out close to the sinus and the orbit, so surgical training and planning matter more than location. A systematic review of 68 studies covering 4,556 zygomatic implants in 2,161 patients reported a 12-year cumulative survival rate of 95.21%, with most failures detected within the first six months after surgery. The same review reports postoperative sinusitis at 2.4%, soft tissue infection at 2.0%, paresthesia at 1.0% and oroantral fistula at 0.4% — while cautioning that these may be underestimates, because many of the studies did not report complication rates at all. That is group data with its own limits, not a personal forecast, and no outcome guarantee is offered here.
How many trips to Istanbul do I need?
Treatment is normally staged across two visits with a healing period between them, but the length of each visit is set after examination rather than promised in advance. Whether a fixed temporary can be placed at the time of surgery depends on stability and the prosthetic plan. One point matters especially here: published data show most zygomatic implant failures occur within the first six months, a period during which a travelling patient is usually at home. Agree before you book who reviews you in that window, what is covered if something fails, and who bears the cost of a return trip.
Is zygomatic implant surgery painful?
The procedure is carried out under general anaesthesia or deep sedation, so pain during surgery is controlled. Discomfort and swelling afterwards are expected and are managed with the medication you are prescribed; how long they last varies with the extent of surgery and the individual, so no fixed number of days is promised. Tell the team if pain increases rather than settles, or if you develop fever or discharge.
How long do zygomatic implants last?
No lifespan can be promised for an individual. Published follow-up reports a 12-year cumulative survival of 95.21% across 4,556 implants — a figure for studied groups, not a forecast for one person. The prosthesis on top is a separate component from the implant and is the part that more often needs repair or replacement; a repair to the visible teeth is not the same event as losing an implant. The review also notes that sinusitis, the main reported complication, can appear several years after surgery, which is why long-term follow-up matters rather than being optional.
Do I need to bring my X-rays or CT scan?
If you have a recent CBCT scan (less than 6 months old), you can share it for a free preliminary evaluation before you travel. Otherwise, we take a new scan at our clinic as part of the initial consultation on day one.
Ready to Explore Your Options?
Send us your panoramic X-ray or CT scan for a free preliminary evaluation. We will review your case and reply with a personalized treatment plan and indicative cost — before you book any travel.