Mini Dental Implants
Palo Alto, CA
Mini Implants in Palo Alto provided by Dr. Sharma and Dr. Cheong at Palo Alto Oral Health
 According to research by the American College of Prosthodontists, 178 million Americans have at least one tooth missing.
Fortunately, replacement is possible with dental implants. Even better, there is a newer type of implant, the mini dental implant, which could be your ideal option after tooth loss, depending on the tooth's location and the state of your jawbone.
Mini dental implants are smaller implants that are installed using a one piece screw larger than 1/10 inch in diameter and smaller than 3mm. These measurements are unlike traditional dental implants, which are mostly two pieces with a diameter range of 3.25mm to 5mm.
At Palo Alto Oral Health, we will help you learn more about mini dental implants and their benefits.
How Do Mini Dental Implants Compare to Other Types of Dental Implants?
Dental implants are an ideal replacement for missing teeth as they make eating easy, given their attachment to the mouth. Here’s how mini dental implants compare to other types of dental implants.
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Size - Mini dental implants are smaller than other types of dental implants. As such, you will need two mini implants to get the support you would get from a single traditional implant.
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Usability - Unlike other dental implants, mini dental implants are usable for patients with considerable bone loss. After tooth loss, you will experience bone resorption, and having an implant on such bone risks fracturing it. Where the bone does not fracture, there is a risk of implant failure. However, choosing mini dental implants in such scenarios is ideal as it saves you from such complications.
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Procedure - Mini dental implants also feature a less invasive procedure than regular implants. The entire procedure will require one office visit and will take up to an hour to complete. Before the procedure, we will administer anesthesia to ease discomfort. Next, we will drill a small hole in your jawbone to place the mini implant. We will screw the implant, and once stable, you can start the healing process. On the other hand, you will make several trips to our office for regular implants, and the healing duration will be longer. |
Considering the above differences, your implant choice will depend on your mouth and bone condition. During your consultation, we will examine the above factors and advise accordingly.
How Long Do Mini Dental Implants Last?
According to research, mini dental implants will last as long as traditional implants. However, how gentle you are with the implants combined with your oral hygiene will increase or shorten this span.
Good oral hygiene, like brushing and flossing, ensures no bacterial damage to your implant.
However, your mini dental implants will wear out with poor maintenance, like any other dental restoration. This includes habits such as using your teeth to open bottles or biting your nails.
Are Mini Dental Implants as Good as Regular Dental Implants?
Standard dental implants have certain limitations that disqualify some people from getting them. These include their cost factor and the bone capacity they need.
In such cases, mini dental implants are useful. These implants fit in smaller spaces, hence useful in replacing smaller incisors and premolars.
Mini dental implants are also useful if you have a medical condition limiting you from getting standard implants. The procedure for a mini dental implant is less invasive, requiring one office visit.
Often, a mini implant will serve you without issues. However, you are prone to certain limitations like less stability than traditional implants, creating the need for multiple implants to stabilize dental bridges and dentures.
Also, mini dental implants are unsuitable for you if you grind your teeth, as teeth grinding will wear and damage your implants faster than regular implants.
Lastly, while you do not need as much bone density to attach mini dental implants, your jawbone should be healthy with adequate vertical support to hold your mini implant.
Whether you need a mini or regular dental implant is still up to us, and we will help you decide the ideal choice.
Can a Mini Implant Be Used For a Single Tooth?
Mini implants can be used for a single tooth. This includes incisors, smaller than molars and premolars, and replaceable with regular implants.
Still, the mini implant should sustain the biting force of the respective tooth it is replacing. Mini dental implants are also usable on multiple teeth and to stabilize dentures.
Am I a Candidate for Mini Dental Implants?
You are an ideal candidate for mini dental implants if you have bone resorption, making it difficult to install traditional dental implants.
As an ideal candidate, you should also practice good oral hygiene, have regular dental checkups, be free of gum disease, and be a nonsmoker.
Smoking increases the chances of implant failure. Uncontrolled conditions like diabetes may also increase the risk of implant failure.
Hence, ensure proper control before seeking a mini dental implant if you have a chronic illness. If you meet the above criteria, visit our office, and we will discuss the procedure.
How Long Does it Take To Recover After a Mini Dental Implant?
Among the reasons why patients prefer mini dental implants is their short recovery window.
After your surgery, you will experience some swelling, which is manageable with at-home remedies. The swelling will fade within 48 hours.
After a week, your gum tissue will also heal. The jawbone will require more time to heal, but the sensitivity and pain will stop by the end of the first month.
Unlike regular dental implants, which take up to six months to heal, mini dental implants will take less than two months to heal completely.
Learn More About Mini Dental Implants With an Appointment Today!
Mini dental implants help restore your tooth functions by replacing the missing tooth. Whether or not to install these implants will depend on your oral and overall health.
If you are unsure whether you are an ideal candidate, contact Palo Alto Oral Health today through (650) 321-9693 and schedule your appointment. We look forward to meeting you! |
