Mini Implants

It's a "Small Wonder"

Different types of implants and restorations are available. A smaller version of the dental implant has been successfully utilized in selected cases. These are mini-implants (1.8mmm diameter) enable your dentist to broaden the spectrum of patients that can be treated.

Mini implants have been used since around 1970, but theywere not treated as "permanent" implanted devices until 1999 when they were cleared by the Food and Drug Administration.

A miniature titanium implant that acts like the root of your tooth, and a retainer fixture that is incorporated into the base of your denture. Benefits of the mini implants are
- placed in as little as one visit
- low cost--- usually about half of normalimplants
- instant --- no long healing period
- secures dentures immediately

Mini implants can get rid of the anxiety of waiting for permanent full sized implants to "take hold". If the implants are placed to stabilize a denture or to replace a long bridge or partial denture, mini-implants can stabilize replacement teeth to function with comfort.

Mini-implant was developed in order to provide greater denture stability for those who cannot withstand the rigors of conventional implant surgery, do not have enough room in a jaw bone to allow for full-sized implants to be placed, or are in on-going therapy from one prosthetic system to another.

Mini-implant consists of a miniature titanium implant that performs like the root of tooth and a retaining fixture which is incorporated into the base of your denture. The head of the implant is similar in shape to a ball, and the retaining fixture performs like a socket which contains a rubber O-ring. The O-ring snaps over the ball when the denture is seated and holds the denture at a predetermined level of force. When seated, the denture gently stays on the gum tissue. The implant fixtures allow for micro-mobility while withstanding natural lifting forces.