Mini Dental Implants for Better Denture Fit
One of the dental solutions available for the treatment of multiple lost or missing is a removable denture. While a removable denture is an effective prosthetic appliance for restoring one’s smile, there can be issues with stability that affects the comfort and function of the denture. However, there is a way to effectively address these problems with the placement of mini dental implants.
Mini dental implants are narrower in diameter than traditional dental implants. This makes them an excellent option for providing added denture stability in cases where a grafting procedure to create enough bone volume for the placement of full size implants would otherwise be needed. Furthermore, mini implants can be placed in a less invasive manner, making them an easier procedure to tolerate for people with certain medical conditions.
An implant-supported denture is fitted with special housings that allow the denture to essentially snap on to the head of the mini implant to provide the needed denture stabilization.
Benefits of Mini Implants
Mini dental implants are an evolving treatment option that offer several advantages over traditional implants, including:
- Minimally invasive placement procedure
- More affordable than traditional implants
- An excellent option for seniors
Mini implants are often used to replace small teeth or incisors in narrow spaces of the mouth. They are especially effective as anchors for lower dentures and typically cost about half as much as traditional implants.
The Mini Implant Procedure
Mini implants are titanium cylinders that function as a tooth root for a crown, bridge, or denture. Traditional implants require three to six months of osseointegration, the process in which the implant fuses with bone. By contrast, mini implants can be positioned directly into the underlying bone in one visit, through a simple procedure that takes less than two hours. This treatment is performed under local anesthesia or light sedation to minimize discomfort.
Most patients see immediate results with mini implants and are often able to eat within just a few hours. Since no sutures are needed during this procedure, there is also no need for the multiple follow-up appointments typically required with conventional implants.