The idea of mini dental implants can either seem appealing to some and adverse to others. Mini dental implants are part of the subcategory of implants least often advertised among dentistry. Still, for many dentists who provide these options to patients, it can give patients more dental work options than previously known. Mini dental implants may sound like something young children would get, but in fact, provide patients with more opportunities for restorations. To best understand how mini dental implants work, it’s essential to look at how conventional implants work.
Dental Implants vs. Mini Implants
For a dentist providing any mouth restoration, they would have to look at their patient’s current health, what their mouth structure contains, and what treatments would be necessary beforehand to qualify them for implants. Implants, unlike most restorations, require them to be surgically inserted into the jawbone to provide support. A periodontist, oral surgeon, and even your general dentist can provide implants. However, it can take months for the abutment (or implant post) to fuse and support the tooth replacement due to how they settle into the bone.
When properly placed, these implants will not slip or shift and last as long as ten years or more. However, conventional implants require a healthy jawbone with adequate bone mass and density to support the abutment. Any signs of bone loss can dampen a person’s ability to receive these implants and generally require other treatment forms to reverse the bone loss and protect the teeth from decay.
Mini dental implants have the same design as conventional implants but are smaller in form. Compared to traditional implants, mini implants are 1.8 to 3.3 mm long in diameter and 10 to 15 mm long, significantly smaller than its 3.4 to 5.8 mm wide counterpart. These implants can replace most teeth and can be suitable for securing lower arches. For a patient with too much bone loss in their jawbone and cannot afford the invasive surgery and months of healing, mini implants serve this purpose by removing that process and giving patients fully functional teeth within the same day.
How Do Dentists Install Mini Implants?
Mini dental implants typically present fewer risks due to the amount of time it takes for a dentist to install them. Both conventional implants and mini implants require a titanium post to be attached to the jawbone inserted under the gums and secured in the socket where the previous tooth used to exist. Unlike traditional implants, mini implants don’t require abutments. This second metal piece secures the abutment post to the gum line, which requires a significant amount of time to be absorbed into the bone and healed. Once the post is placed, the mini implant prosthetic is then attached after creating a fast, painless solution to tooth replacement.
Like any dental restoration, mini implants require the same amount of care as natural teeth, brushing, and flossing daily as part of a healthy routine. For more information on mini implants and whether or not you qualify for them, contact Dr. Ruth Roach Morgan and Dr. Jessica Morgan Vaughn at Dental Solutions of Mississippi, located in Canton, MS, to schedule your first consultation today.