The New Generation of Subperiosteal Implants for Patient-Specific Treatment of Atrophic Jawbone: Literature Review and a Two-Case Report

Subperiosteal implants were first introduced in the early 1940s for the treatment of fully edentulous maxillary or mandibular arches with severe bone atrophy. After knowing a large popularity in the ‘80s and ‘90s, this denture therapy was progressively abandoned due to significant limitations of the technique. This included difficulties in implant positioning, obtaining a sufficiently extensive bone impression and a high rate of infections and complications. In the last two decades, digital technology has dramatically changed the world of implant dentistry. In particular, the use of modern diagnostic imaging, digital technology, and direct metal laser sintering has allowed the possibility of projecting this implant with proper extension, leading to the fabrication of custom-made titanium meshes that perfectly fit the specific anatomical requirements of patients. Owing to the use of such modern production methods, subperiosteal implants have been reinterpreted in a digital way, with renewed interest for the treatment of edentulous patients with atrophic jawbone. The present paper describes the evolution of subperiosteal implants in recent years and presents two clinical cases with clinical and radiographic findings at 1 year following application of new generation subperiosteal implants.