Benefits of Mini-Dental Implants

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Mini-dental implants are another step in the evolution of dental technologies, offering a number of distinct advantages over earlier and larger implant technologies. Mini-implants typically possess a diameter less than 3mm compared to the average 4-5mm diameter of standard implants. This smaller size offers a number of distinct benefits which we will look at in this article.

What are the benefits of mini-dental implants?

Because they are significantly smaller than their larger counterparts, mini-dental implants can be inserted into the mouth and jaw through a less invasive procedure.

Normal sized dental implants require an extensive surgery which involves making an incision into the gum above each implant site. These incisions form what are often described as ‘flaps’ of gum tissue. After these have been made a drill is passed through into the jawbone to prepare sockets for each implant, and following this the gums are sutured and the entire site is left to heal. As some implant technologies require as many as 10 different sites of implantation per jaw, this procedure is lengthy and invasive, and therefore unsuitable to patients with underlying medical conditions.

Many people who can benefit from dental implants are elderly and will often not be able to safely endure a dental implant surgery. However these people can make use of mini-dental implants instead.

Mini-dental implants can be inserted through what is called a ‘flapless’ procedure, meaning that no incision through the gum is needed. This makes the surgery much less complex and therefore easier to withstand and accessible to patients who would otherwise not be able to have implants fitted.

A less invasive surgery will have some other benefits as well. Because there is much less disturbance of the structures of the mouth there is a vastly reduced chance of infection or injury to the gums or bone. Moreover there is an improved likelihood of a successful procedure where the implants effectively fuse to the jawbone thanks to the reduced risk of infection or injury.

The simplicity of the procedure by which these implants are fitted also offers a number of other distinctive benefits, not the least of which is reduced discomfort for the patient who doesn’t have to go through a complex invasive surgery. There is also a huge reduction in cost, with mini-implants typically costing half as much as their full-sized counterparts. This is a major advantage as full sized implants can be beyond the budget of most people, costing as much as £14,000 from certain dental providers. The fact that you will be spending much less time in the dentist’s chair hugely cuts the costs involved.

Some mini-implants can be fitted with a temporary set of dentures on the day of their installation. Conversely standard implants will typically need to heal for a period of several months before a temporary fitting can be applied for a further 6 weeks, and following that a permanent set of prosthetics can be applied. The reduction in waiting time is vastly more convenient for patients who can start making use of artificial teeth more quickly.

Finally the fact that smaller implants are used means that mini-dental implants are a viable option for people who have lost some of the bone density of their jaw. Our jawbones undergo a process called resorption when we lose our teeth, and this is essentially the body’s way of reallocating resources (in this case bone) from where it is considered unnecessary to other parts of the body where it might be needed. Larger implants need a certain amount of bone to be present if they are to work effectively, and in cases where the jaw has been resorbed, these implants are not suitable.

Mini-implants also offer the many benefits associated with standard implants. Designed to anchor artificial teeth and stabilise them, mini-implants will improve how your dentures feel and work by fixing them to your jawbone. This remarkable feature of mini-implants is the key to their success, and users often report how remarkable the difference can be. Using mini-implants to support your dentures can also improve their durability and longevity, as well as your confidence in using your dentures freely.

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