Mini-dental implants (MDI’s) are very similar to normal implants, but they are much smaller. This means that we can get the same benefit of normal dental implants but without all the fuss. They are mostly used to stabilize loose dentures, particularly for the bottom arch.
How much smaller are Mini-Dental Implants?
Mini-Dental Implants are around 2.9mm’s in diameter or less. Normal dental implants range from 3.5mm to 6mm normally.
What are the advantages of Mini Dental Implants?
- Quick / Easy to place – Compared to normal dental implants, minis are a lot quicker and easier to place and can sometimes be placed without needing to cut the gum or place stiches. The actual procedure can be as quick as 30 minutes.
- Healing time is quick – the time it takes for the gums to get back to normal is a lot quicker and sometimes can take just a few days
- Less discomfort – Having normal dental implant can be uncomfortable after the surgery is finished for a few days. With mini dental implants, the discomfort is minimal and is over with pretty quickly.
- It’s Cheaper – compared with normal dental implants, minis are considerably cheaper.
Why get mini dental implants?
Lower complete dentures are notoriously difficult to get used to. They move around lots, irritate the gums, and are generally uncomfortable to wear. In fact, this was acknowledged by the McGill Consensus statement which specified that providing a lower complete denture was an inadequate option and that a minimum standard should be placing two lower implants to stabilize the denture.
What are the disadvantages of mini dental implants?
Because they are smaller than normal implants, they don’t last as long. We normally tell our patients that you can expect to get around a 6-9 years survival rate for mini dental implants, however in reality they last longer.
Normal dental implants have a higher survival rate, some lasting over 25 years.
Who is suitable for mini dental implants?
MDI’s are suited to the people who are not going to be putting lots and lots of stress onto their teeth or for people who cannot (or don’t want to) undergo the surgery involved with conventional implant placement.
As an extreme example – if we saw a young well-built male patient, we would definitely suggest going for normal dental implants. On the flip side, if we saw a small, elderly lady we know she’s not going to be putting a lot of force onto her dentures, and therefore, she would be an ideal candidate. This doesn’t mean that other people cannot get the benefit of MDI’s, it’s just an example to illustrate the different scenarios where one type of implant maybe better than the other type.
People with complex medical histories can also benefit from the simple procedure.
Loose Lower Dentures?
If you have loose lower dentures you will understand the difficulties with eating and the reduced quality of life you have to put up with. This simple, cost effective solution has been proven to work. The most common comment we get after we have finished treatment is that, “Why didn’t anyone tell me about this before? I would have got this done years ago!”
