Pterygoid

extension with

palatal struts

A full-arch pterygoid extension implant was designed for a partially edentulous arch, a rather unusual situation. The patient's two remaining teeth (1) were inadequate for anterior support. Because both posterior sites required the pterygoid extension approach, it was decided to fashion a full one-piece implant (2). (Note how the implant's copings have been offset buccally (2) to "widen" the narrow arch and recreate near-normal arch relationships.) The implant was seated (3), and the tissues closed (4), and left to heal (5). The final palateless denture (6) is a boon.

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