Implants when there is no bone left
We rebuild the bone that has been lost or move the anchorage. A lack of bone stops being a reason for refusal.
Why bone is lost and what can be done
When a tooth is lost, the bone that held it stops receiving load and begins to resorb. Over the years, or after advanced periodontal disease, what is left may not be enough to anchor a conventional implant.
That is why many patients are told they are "not a candidate". In most cases what is actually happening is that the case calls for a technique not every clinic performs.
The techniques we use
- Guided bone regeneration: volume is rebuilt with biomaterials and membranes, either before or during implant placement.
- Sinus lift: gains height in the posterior upper jaw, the area where most cases used to be ruled out.
- Bone graft: adds the patient’s own or biocompatible bone in larger defects.
- Zygomatic implants: anchored in the cheekbone rather than the jaw. They make it possible to rehabilitate arches with almost no remaining bone.
- Plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF): speeds up healing using components from the patient’s own blood.
The decision is not made by surgeon’s preference: it is made on the 3D radiographic study, measuring the bone available at each point.
If another clinic has told you your case has no solution, bring the radiograph with you. A second assessment costs nothing and in many cases changes the diagnosis.
-
Cases other clinics rule out
Severe bone loss has a solution with the right technique and planning.
-
Decided on the 3D scan
We measure the bone actually available before proposing any technique.
-
Without giving up aesthetics
Bone reconstruction also shapes the final aesthetic result, and is planned with it in mind.
At this clinic
Why this centre treats bone loss
Bone regeneration and zygomatic anchorage are not techniques you can perform occasionally. They need an operating theatre, a trained team and, above all, case volume: that is what separates a surgeon who has done a handful from one who has done hundreds. It is why the group concentrates this surgery here rather than spreading it across eleven clinics.
The diagnosis decides the technique. The CBCT measures the bone available at each position, and that is where you see whether the case is resolved by regenerating, lifting the maxillary sinus, grafting, or moving to the cheekbone with zygomatic implants. It is a decision of millimetres, not of opinion.
Zygomatic implants are the way out when the upper jaw no longer offers support: they anchor in the cheekbone, which almost never resorbs, and make it possible to rehabilitate arches that would otherwise demand extensive grafting and years of waiting.
If you come with a diagnosis of "not a candidate", bring the radiograph they took. In many of those consultations the case was not unsolvable: it needed a technique that clinic does not perform.
- Volumetric measurement of the available bone before proposing anything.
- Guided bone regeneration, sinus lift and grafts.
- Zygomatic implants anchored in the cheekbone.
- PRGF from the patient’s own blood to speed up healing.
How we approach a case with little bone
-
Volumetric diagnosis
CBCT and measurement of the bone available at each position. This is where we decide whether to regenerate, lift or change the anchorage.
-
Planning the technique
The procedure is chosen and the outcome simulated digitally, including the final position of the prosthesis.
-
Surgery and follow-up
Guided surgery and more frequent post-operative checks than usual, because regeneration needs monitoring.
Real results
Before and after: cases with bone loss
-
Before 
After Advanced resorption in the upper jaw. Volume was rebuilt before the implants were placed, and the arch was rehabilitated with a fixed prosthesis.
-
Before 
After Insufficient height in the posterior upper jaw, the area where most cases are ruled out. Height was gained with a sinus lift and the implants anchored in the same surgical session.
Real cases from patients of the Crooke group, published with their consent and without digital retouching. Every case starts from a different bone volume: these results are not a forecast of yours.
Who carries it out
The team performing implants with bone loss in Nagüeles
-
Clinical director · Implant surgeon
-
Periodontics and aesthetics
-
Cynthia Cáceres
Surgical lead
Common questions
Frequently asked questions about this treatment
01 What happens if I do not have enough bone for implants?
It is either regenerated or an alternative anchorage is found. Guided bone regeneration, sinus lift, grafting or zygomatic implants anchored in the cheekbone: the technique is chosen by measuring the bone actually available on the 3D study.
02 Another clinic told me I am not a candidate. Is a second opinion worth it?
Yes. It is the most common reason for consultation in this area. Many cases were ruled out because they required a technique that clinic does not perform, not because they had no solution.
03 What are zygomatic implants?
They are longer implants anchored in the cheekbone rather than the upper jaw. They make it possible to rehabilitate upper arches where hardly any bone is left, avoiding extensive grafting and shortening timescales.
04 Does bone regeneration make treatment much longer?
It depends on the defect. In some cases regeneration happens in the same surgical session as implant placement; in others a preliminary stage of several months is needed. You are told from the outset, in the treatment plan.
05 Is surgery with regeneration more painful?
Recovery usually involves more swelling than a straightforward implant, controllable with the prescribed medication. Using PRGF, obtained from the patient’s own blood, helps healing to be faster and more comfortable.
Other treatments you may be interested in
First assessment
Request your implants with bone loss assessment
- We call you to understand your case before proposing anything.
- Diagnosis with digital planning and a fixed written quote.
- No obligation: if you do not need treatment, we will tell you.
Prefer to talk to us directly? 951 500 100 · WhatsApp