On 30 May 2026, Dr. Costa Nicolopoulos travelled to London as a guest speaker at the Association of Dental Implantology Full Arch Masterclass — one of the UK's leading events for dental professionals specialising in complex implant cases. Held at the Royal College of Physicians and sponsored by Southern Implants, the masterclass brought together leading experts from around the world for an intensive day of advanced clinical education.
Dr. Costa's session, titled "The Power of Pterygoids," focused on pterygoid implants as a solution for patients with severe bone loss in the posterior jaw — a condition that has traditionally required sinus lifts, multiple surgeries, and extended treatment timelines before a patient can receive fixed teeth.
Pterygoid implants take a different approach. By anchoring into the dense cortical bone of the pterygoid region, they provide strong primary stability without the need for bone grafting. When that stability is achieved, they can support immediate loading — meaning fixed teeth the same day.
It is a technique Dr. Costa has used extensively at SameDay Dental Clinic in Dubai, and one he described as transformative for patients who have been told they are not suitable candidates for standard implants. In his own words: "Pterygoid implants are the most underevaluated, underused, and underrated solutions — they offer a powerful solution for managing the challenging posterior maxilla. In my practice, they have become a game changer."
The session walked delegates through the clinical rationale, key anatomical considerations, and the surgical steps essential for successful pterygoid placement — drawing on Dr. Costa's experience with some of the most complex full arch cases seen at SameDay.
For patients in Dubai who have been told their bone loss is too advanced for dental implants, this is precisely the expertise that makes a consultation or second opinion at SameDay Dental Clinic worth pursuing.
