Prosthodontic rehabilitation of patients with a unilateral subtotal maxillectomy using a customised subperiosteal zygomatic implant: a post-COVID-19 mucormycosis

Restoring the maxillary resection defect involving the alveolar process, the hard and soft palate and the paranasal sinuses in terms of phonetics, mastication and deglutition is more challenging, especially with young patients with aesthetic concerns.This case report describes the prosthodontic rehabilitation of a young patient with a unilateral subtotal maxillectomy due to post-COVID-19 mucormycosis. A patient-specific subperiosteal implant was planned to rehabilitate the patient's bony defect. Using postsurgical CT, a customised subperiosteal titanium framework was fabricated by the direct metal laser sintering method using grade IV titanium alloy. The fabricated framework was implanted over the patient's zygomatic anatomic contour. Three months later, the patient-specific implant was unveiled to the oral cavity, an open-tray impression was made and the fixed implant prosthesis was fabricated.This case report opens a new realm of rehabilitation for severely compromised maxillary bony defects and impaired oral functioning with no other viable conventional reconstruction options.