Among patients who have experienced tooth loss, dental implants are an increasingly popular tooth replacement option. Dental implants simulate the appearance and the function of natural teeth, as they are embedded directly in the jawbone. This means that the dental implant’s root serves the function of a healthy tooth root. Now not all patients can benefit from conventional dental implants—sometimes, mini dental implants are healthier and more useful for the patient.
In today’s article I’m going to be explaining how and why our Saint Louis dental office uses mini dental implants. Read on to get a better idea of what mini dental implants can do for you.
Mini dental implants have the same structure as conventional dental implants—they have a titanium root embedded in the jawbone, and then an abutment which attaches the dental restoration to the titanium root. Mini dental implants, however, as the name suggests, are much smaller than conventional implants—that is the titanium root is thinner.
There are a number of benefits to using the thinner titanium roots of mini dental implants.
·
The procedure for placing mini dental implants is much less invasive than the procedure for conventional dental implants. In many cases, patients can have their mini dental implants placed without undergoing invasive flap surgery.
· Because the procedure is less invasive, the healing time for mini dental implants is much shorter than for conventional implants.
· Mini dental implants are often used for securing existing dental restorations—like dentures.
· Mini dental implants can often be used for patients with decreased jawbone density. Many of these patients would require bone grafts in order to have conventional dental implants placed.
If you think that you’d benefit from mini dental implants, we’ll assess the current state of our oral health. Our Saint Louis dentist office can help you decide whether mini dental implants are right for you. To get started, schedule your consultation, today!