Dental implants have been around since 1965 when an orthopedic surgeon theorized that bone would fuse to titanium. Before dental implants, if you had a bad tooth, you were doomed to a lifetime of false teeth or no teeth at all.
But today, dentists can install a titanium screw into your jaw and then place a dental crown over the screw. Your dental implant won’t’ look any different than the rest of your teeth and can last a lifetime.
Mini dental implants are an innovation and worth a look if you need a dental implant. By the time you’ve finished reading this article, you will understand the differences between traditional dental implants and mini dental implants.
Traditional Dental Implants
To understand mini dental implants, you first must understand traditional dental implants.
Traditional dental implants are around twice the diameter of a mini dental implant. The traditional implant ranges in size from 3 to 6mm in diameter.
To install a traditional implant, a dentist will have to perform dental surgery. But first, they must prepare your jawbone. The dentist will remove the tooth and any fragments left behind.
Then they will prepare your jawbone. This may mean they have to graft some bone onto your jawbone. Sometimes a jawbone doesn’t have enough tone to support the titanium post of the implant.
Next, the dentist will perform dental surgery and implant the placement. They then wait for a few weeks so the bone can heal and fuse to the implant. Finally, the dentist will place the abutment and artificial tooth.
Mini Dental Implants
Mini dental implants are smaller than traditional implants. they consist of a one-piece screw that has a ball-shaped end sticking up from your jawbone. So they will look similar to a traditional implant but smaller.
Mini dental implants come with unique benefits that traditional implants lack.
Placement
A dentist will use a less-invasive technique to place mini dental implants compared with placing traditional implants. Mini dental implants are the size of toothpicks. So the dentist will put them over the gum surface when they screw them into the bone.
In contrast, traditional implants go under the gums.
Thus, the placement of mini dental implants is less invasive and less involved than traditional implants. The healing time is naturally shortened as well as the treatment time.
Traditional implants require at least two dental appointments and months of healing. Mini dental implants can happen in one visit, and you only need local anesthesia.
If you need bone grafting, you’ll need to visit more than once so you can have enough bone to support your implants.
Time Efficient
Mini dental implants are an ideal solution for busy people. If you cannot undergo invasive surgery or just don’t have the time for repeat dental visits, mini dental implants make sense.
They also work well if you do not have enough bone in your jaw for a full-size implant.
Cost Effective
Dental implants are a costly venture. Traditional implants will cost between $1,500 and $6,000 per tooth. Mini implants, in contrast, cost between $500 and $1,500 each.
Thus you have the potential of getting six mini implants for the cost of just one traditional implant.
Caring for Mini Implants
Even though dental implants do not have the same structure as your natural teeth, they need just as much care. Mini dental implants are no exception to this rule.
You should continue to brush your teeth twice a day and floss once a day. You should also continue to visit your dentist once every six months for a tooth cleaning and fluoride treatment.
Mini implants work especially well if you’re missing teeth and have a small jawbone or limited jawbone space. They cost less and take less time to have installed.
Duration of Mini Dental Implants
Traditional dental implants can last a lifetime. They’ve existed for decades and have stood the test of time, especially if you care for them like you would a natural tooth.
Because they haven’t been around as long as traditional implants, dental experts cannot put a lifespan on mini dental implants. One could assume that since they’re made of the same material as traditional implants and are installed similarly, they will last as long as a traditional implant.
Time will tell.
Functionality
Mini dental implants serve the same function as traditional implants. They just cost less and are not as big. They will still replace missing teeth and serve as anchors for dentures.
They also look natural and are durable. You can expect the same performance from a mini dental implant as you would from a traditional dental implant.
Aesthetics
Once the dentist has finished your procedure, the mini dental implant will look the same as a traditional dental implant. The dentist makes the crown using an impression of your mouth so the tooth fits perfectly with the rest of your teeth.
The implant will blend in smoothly with the rest of your teeth, whether you use a mini dental implant or a traditional dental implant.
Make a Mini Decision
Traditional dental implants changed the world of dentistry and gave people a whole new reason to smile. Mini dental implants have done this yet again! With a less invasive procedure and shorter recovery time, patients can move on with life quickly and painlessly.
Furthermore, you’ll have more money in your pocket at the end of the procedure when you have a mini dental implant installed versus a traditional dental implant.
Are you looking for a quality dentist that can fix your smile? Give us a call. We would love to give you a reason to smile once again.
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