Dr. Jay Neugarten - Moderator
Episode summary
Dr. Jay Neugarten, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon at NYCOMS in New York City and a ZAGA Center clinician, previews the day-three advanced treatment sessions he moderates at the Edentulism 2025 Conference in Barcelona. He presents rehabilitation of the atrophic maxilla as a decision tree spanning short implants, zygomatic implants, pterygoid implants and nasalis implants, describing the clinician's core task as finding bone to support teeth while delivering immediacy. Roughly 75% of his zygomatic cases are failed maxillary implant reconstructions. Neugarten argues that anchorage choices must remain restoratively driven so the prosthodontist can use them, and that managing and openly discussing complications is as important as reporting successes. He characterizes surgery as science tempered by artistry, cautioning against ego-driven adoption of techniques over evidence. The day-three lineup he moderates includes Guy McClellan, Rubén Davó, Waldemar Polido, Rudy Mukherjee, Cesar Butura and Frank Renouard.
Key takeaways
- Dr. Jay Neugarten began placing zygomatic implants in 2001 and moved toward using the zygoma more heavily from 2004, after early grafting-focused years.
- About 75% of the zygomatic work Dr. Neugarten performs involves failed maxillary implant reconstructions.
- Zygomatic, pterygoid and nasalis implants are part of his decision tree for every patient he treats, alongside short implants.
- The surgical objective is to find bone to support teeth and deliver immediacy, with teeth connected to implants when the patient leaves the office.
- Anchorage must be restoratively driven: a pterygoid, nasalis or zygomatic implant is of no value if the restorative dentist cannot use it or if it impairs the patient's ability to articulate or chew.
- Zygomatic implants were FDA approved in the US in 1997 and became impactful in Neugarten's practice around 2001.
- Learning from and openly presenting complications matters as much as reporting successes; a clinician is defined by how failures are handled.
What you'll learn
- Building a decision tree across short, zygomatic, pterygoid and nasalis implants for the atrophic maxilla
- Treating failed maxillary implant reconstructions, which make up 75% of Dr. Neugarten's zygomatic caseload
- Delivering immediacy: teeth connected to implants when the patient leaves the office
- Keeping implant placement restoratively driven so the prosthodontist can actually use the anchorage
- Managing and learning from complications rather than only presenting successful cases
About the guest
Dr. Jay Neugarten
Dr. Jay Neugarten (DDS, MD, FACS) is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon at the New York Center for Orthognathic and Maxillofacial Surgery (NYCOMS) in New York City. He began placing zygomatic implants in 2001 and has built his practice around full-arch rehabilitation of the atrophic maxilla, with roughly 75% of his zygomatic work involving failed maxillary implant reconstructions. He is a ZAGA Center clinician and a moderator at the Edentulism 2025 Conference in Barcelona.
Credentials: DDS, MD, FACS; Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon, New York Center for Orthognathic and Maxillofacial Surgery (NYCOMS), New York City; ZAGA Center clinician
