If you’ve ever suffered from tooth loss you know how important it is for your dental health and your peace of mind to find prompt, effective treatment. When you lose a tooth you may start to feel self-conscious about smiling or speaking in public. More importantly, you’ll probably start to suffer from dental problems if you leave the tooth loss untreated. When you lose a permanent tooth, your other teeth become destabilized—they can actually shift and move along the gum line. Patients with tooth loss are also at risk of jawbone deterioration.
Our Saint Louis dental office is here to help patients regain beautiful, healthy smiles after tooth loss. Dental implants are exciting treatment options that actually mimic the structure of natural teeth. Today we’re going to be learning more about conventional dental implants as well as mini dental implants!
Both dental implants and mini dental implants have a titanium roots that are surgically implanted into the jawbone—filling the space that was previously occupied by the natural tooth root. These titanium roots are then capped with natural-looking restorations. The root is made of titanium because titanium bonds with natural bone, creating superior restoration stability.
Mini dental implants are simply smaller versions of conventional dental implants—specifically their titanium roots are much thinner than traditional dental implant roots. This means that the surgical implant process for mini dental implants is much less traumatic for the jawbone—patients recover faster from this procedure than from traditional dental implant surgery.
Mini dental implants are also ideal for replacing teeth in small spaces in the mouth, and for anchoring existing restorations, such as dentures. Sometimes dentists choose to use mini dental implants for patients with decreased bone density—if a patient is not a suitable candidate for bone grafts before surgery, they may benefit from mini dental implants instead.
Our Saint Louis dentists can help you evaluate your tooth replacement options and choose a treatment plan that works for you. Give us a call to learn more or to schedule your personal consultation!