The New Generation of Subperiosteal Implants for Patient-Specific Treatment of Atrophic Dental Arches: Literature Review and Two Case Reports

Subperiosteal implants were first introduced in the early 1940s for the treatment of edentulous maxillary and mandibular arches with severe bone atrophy. After achieving widespread popularity in the 80s and 90s, this denture therapy was progressively abandoned due to significant technique limitations, including high rates of infection and the complications and difficulties with positioning implants and obtaining sufficiently extensive bone impressions. In the last two decades, digital technology has dramatically changed the world of implant dentistry. In particular, modern diagnostic imaging, digital technology, and direct metal laser sintering now allow for the projection of implants with the proper extension, leading to the fabrication of custom-made titanium meshes that perfectly fit the specific anatomical requirements of patients. With modern production methods, subperiosteal implants have been digitally reinterpreted, and interest in them is being renewed for the treatment of edentulous patients with atrophic arches. This article describes the evolution of subperiosteal implants in recent years and presents two clinical cases involving the placement of new generation (NG) subperiosteal implants with the clinical and radiographic findings at the 1-year follow-up.