The rehabilitation treatment in patients with severely atrophic maxilla has always challenged the skills and expertise of most experienced professionals in dentistry. The physiological process of alveolar bone resorption after the loss of a tooth, accelerated by the use of muco-supported prosthesis, take extreme proportions in certain individuals, limiting treatment options and greatly reducing the predictability of the treatments. Basically there are two treatment options for rehabilitating patients with atrophic maxilla, bone graft reconstruction for later implant placement, or installation of zygomatic implants. By opting for reconstructive treatment in these situations are generally used autogenous bone grafts obtained from an extra oral donor site, most commonly removed from the iliac crest, calvarium and tibia. But to succeed in the reconstruction with bone graft it is imperative the presence of a good receptor site, because without adequate support and vasculature it is not possible a good integration of the grafted material. Since 1989, there was the option of using longer implants attached to the zygomatic bone, to support the upper prosthesis, where the grafts will probably not succeed. Since then, the zygomatic implants have become a treatment option for the rehabilitation of atrophic jaws alternatively the use of bone grafts. This paper aims to report a case of complete resorption of the maxillary alveolar bone, treated by installing four implants anchored solely in the body of the zygomatic bone, due to scarce receptor site for bone reconstruction.

Conflict of interest: None declared.