Mini Implants

What Are Mini Dental Implants?

Mini dental implants are ultra-small diameter (l.8 to 2.0 mm width), biocompatible titanium alloy implant screws which are precisely placed through the gum into the jawbones to provide secure connections for crowns and dentures.Mini implants have been in use since about 1970 , but were not considered "permanent" implanted devices until April 1999 when they were cleared by the Food and Drug Administration and introduced at an implant conference in Orlando, Florida the same year and due to its immediate and long term benefits for patients, now represents one of the fastest growing methods of improving the quality of life for patients who wear dentures.

When can Mini Dental Implants be used?

The most effective use of this unique dental product is stabilization of a lower denture. They are also have been successfuly used for supporting crowns in situations in which there is not enough room or bone for a standard implant.  The cost of a mini dental implant is generally less than half the cost of a standard dental rootform implant. The standard insertion protocol for mini dental implants calls for four of them to be gently screwed into the front of a patient's lower jaw. This is a relatively painless procedure that can be performedin our office requiring only a mild anesthesia.

Do I get to chew the same day?

Yes. In most of the cases the mini implants on the lower jaw can be immediately loaded. That means that we fit your existing denture to the mini implants immediately and you can start chewing as soon as the anesthesia wears off .

What are the disadvantages?

Although mini implants is a very promising treatment there were approved by FDA in 1999 which means there are not many articles in dental implant literature with a follow-up of 5 years or more. Another disadvantage is that those implants are usually not indicated for a very soft bone which is the posterior upper jaw. There is also a tendency for those implants to fracture with a higher frequency than the standard diameter implants. A consultation with our office will determine the suitability of the mini implants for your case.