A Complete Guide to Mini Dental Implants

Are you looking to replace your missing teeth with implants but don’t have the bone mass in your jaw to hold conventional implants?  Or do you lack the ability to undergo surgery?  All good! Mini dental implants may the best option for you.

Mini dental implants are just as effective as traditional implants, but because they’re smaller, they come with some additional benefits, including the fact that the procedure is much less involved.  As you read on, we’ll look at what traditional dental implants are and why they’re needed.  We’ll then look at the difference between conventional and mini dental implants, the procedural differences, and the requirements for application.  We’ll also talk about how to take the best care of your mini dental implants.

What are Mini Dental Implants

Mini dental implants are a newer technique that was designed to solve the shortcomings or problems of more traditional or standard dental implants – they are less invasive and painful, don’t involve bone grafts or multiple surgeries, can fit in smaller spaces or used to replace smaller teeth like incisors or premolars, and can often even be less expensive.  Mini dental implants have the same structure as regular implants, but they’re smaller. Unlike conventional implants, they’re comprised of a one-piece screw that’s less than 3mm in diameter and includes a ball-shaped end that protrudes from the jawbone   That’s compared to  compared to traditional implants which are usually made of two pieces with a diameter of 3.25 to 5 millimeters.

Placing Mini Dental Implants

Mini dental implants are placed through less-invasive techniques than conventional dental implants.  These toothpick-sized implants are put over the gum surface when placed into the bone, while conventional implants are placed under the gums.

Because the placement of mini dental implants is less involved, they require less time to receive than regular implants.  Our Beaufort dentists usually can place mini implants in one visit using local anesthesia.  Plus, no sutures are needed.  Conventional implants, however, take several months and require at least two dental appointments.  Certain treatments may require additional visits for bone-grafting to supply enough bone to support the implants.

Why Mini Dental Implants?

The use of mini dental implants is implied in cases where conventional implants cannot be placed. Like when you don’t have:

• The ability to undergo invasive surgery
• Enough time to go to repeat dental visits
• Enough bone in the jaw for a full-sized implant

Because of these reasons and others, the use of mini dental implants is excepted to rise.  Cost is also a factor in their increased popularity. The cost of standard implants is rising, while the cost of mini dental implants tends to be less.  Although the cost of mini dental implants can vary, on average, they’re between $500 and $1,500. Compare that to a single regular implant, which is usually between $1,500 and $6,000.