Many dental clinics offer dental implants as permanent solutions for people with missing teeth. Unfortunately, not all people are good candidates for dental implants. People with weak bones or reduced bone mass may suffer complications with regular dental implants. Without enough bone mass to adhere to, regular implants may not fuse with your jawbone and cause discomfort or infection. You may undergo bone graft procedures to augment the bones your implants will fuse with, but this is a pricey and invasive procedure.
Mini-implant dentures are alternative solutions for people who want a more practical and cost-efficient solution for missing teeth. The implants your dentist mounts these dentures on are much smaller than regular implants, ranging from only 1.8mm to 2.9mm in diameter. Like regular implants, they act as solid bases for dental restorations like dentures or crowns after successfully osseointegrating (or fusing) with your bone. They are also made from titanium or titanium alloy to speed up the osseointegration process and minimize the chances of implant rejection.
These smaller implants come in a variety of lengths, strengths, and designs. Your dentist chooses the right type of implant depending on the density of your bone (ranging from very dense to soft), and the amount of pressure placed on the tooth you chew or bite.
Dental clinics usually offer mini implants at reasonable prices compared to their regular counterparts. The size of these smaller implants and the simplicity of the procedure make them less costly than normal implant procedures. This is often beneficial for patients, as most insurance policies do not cover restorative treatments like implants.
Mini-implants do not require complicated dental procedures or long healing periods. Some dentists may complete mini implant procedures within a day or less. Dentists usually perform these procedures using local anesthesia. Regular dental implant solutions may require you to undergo sedation or sleep dentistry to prevent any pain or discomfort.
You do not need to have bone mass problems to get mini implants. Mini-implants are great options for anyone who wants a complete set of teeth without undergoing invasive and lengthy dental operations.