Mini dental implants, similar to traditional implants, are the new type of dental implant. They will be small in size and comes with lots of added benefits. The process of fitting this implant in place involves a simple procedure. This mini dental implant is considered a good option for people who cannot have traditional dental implants.
Here, we can discuss the procedure to fit a mini dental implant, the cleaning routine, the cost, and the durability of the mini dental implant.
What Is The Procedure Involved In Mini Dental Implants?
Mini dental implants are not suitable for everyone, especially children with not developed mouth. Mini dental implants are not fit for people who have a habit of grinding their teeth. You will not be eligible to have a mini dental implant if you have some health conditions. They are diabetes, vascular disease, hemophilia, bone disease, and periodontitis.
Some lifestyle factors impact the ability to get mini dental implants. If you have smoking habits, limited oral hygiene, and are under any medications or undergoing chemotherapy, you will not be eligible.
Following are the step-by-step procedures involved in fitting mini dental implants.
Initial consultation
- Before starting the implant procedure, you need to have a detailed consultation with your dentist. Thus your dentist can understand whether you are eligible for mini dental implants or not.
- The initial process in this consultation is examining your teeth and gums and evaluating your health. They will check the oral and medical history of a patient. *
- Taking X-rays and CT scans is the next step. The dentist uses this X-ray and the CT scan to determine and locate the place to fit the mini dental implant.
- Generally, they try to maximize the amount of bone available by placing the implants at a slight angle. After this, they give you a list of various options for treatment about the number of implants to be placed. Then you can ask questions about the treatment and make a well-informed decision.
Placing mini implants
- Initially, your dentist will give you local anesthesia for the mini dental implant procedure. They inject it near the surgical site and nearby areas.
- As a next step, they make a small cut in the gum to expose the bone. This incision will not be so big as a traditional implant.
- Next, the dentist will create a small opening in the bone using a dental drill for the implant. It will be small as each implant is less than two millimeters in diameter.
- If the implant is for a denture, your dentist will place it near the connecting bar over all the implants on the same day.
- It is essential to stick with soft foods, as the denture will wear on the same day.
- The last step is ensuring the exact location of the replacement tooth.
- In some procedures, some dentists may not drill holes as there are some chances of threads of the screw grab onto your bone. There is no requirement for sutures or stitches in mini implants.
- These steps may vary based on your dental needs.
Do I Have To Clean Mini Dental Implants?
If we face any problem like teeth missing, wearing a mini dental implant can help us to improve our smile and confidence. You need to follow healthy life habits to maintain good oral health when wearing dentures and mini dental implants.
- Regular cleaning: Clean your dental implants daily to keep them in exact shape. It prevents odor-causing bacteria from accumulating on your dentures and damaging them. It is not advisable to use common cleaning agents or toothpaste. Instead, use a soft towel with sink water to clean and rinse it under warm water.
- Give care to gum and tongue: Brushing our tongue and gums is vital for maintaining good oral health in all situations. Clean tongue and gums daily to remove bacteria that cause different gum diseases.
- Use a soft-bristled toothbrush: You need to use a soft bristle brush when wearing dentures and mini dental implants. They will not damage your gums or cause bleeding. You can use electric toothbrushes too. Make sure that your toothbrush has soft bristles.
- Use water flosser: Water flosser can remove bacteria in pocket depths up to 6 mm deep. Nowadays, many water flossers are available with rubber-tip stimulators and other attachments. They accommodate sensitive gums and clean hard-to-reach areas between teeth.
- Use crown or bridge floss: This crowns or bridge floss is the specially-designed one to clean dental implants. The stiff ends in this bridge floss help you insert between the dental implants and pull it through the other side. You can also prevent unwanted bacterial growth with this.
- Use low-abrasive toothpaste: Use a toothpaste free from abrasive ingredients like baking soda or stain-remover agents. These ingredients may wear on acrylic and remove the glaze from your mini dental implants. Nowadays, many kinds of toothpaste are available in the market to use for your mini dental implants.
- Bacteria and plaque may accumulate under and around your mini dental implant crown and increase the risk of damage. You can use an angled-neck toothbrush or an interdental brush with a slim head to clean that area.
How Much Do The Mini Dental Implants Cost?
Generally, the average cost of a mini dental implant comes in the range of $500-$1500. It is less expensive than traditional implants, preferably between $4000 – $5000.
The cost for an implant-supported lower denture with 4-6 implants is between $2,000 to $5,000.
The cost of mini dental implants varies according to the following factors.
- Costs vary with the type of implant and the restoration attached to the implant.
- If you choose to have multiple implants at an attempt, the cost will be less than having individual implants at different times.
- Cost may depend on additional factors like diagnostic tests, x-rays and CT scans, etc.
- Prices also vary with location. The charges will be higher in large cities.
- Sometimes, experienced implant dentists may charge a higher amount for their services.
Due to all these factors, the use of mini dental implants is increasing.
Following are some benefits that anyone can expect to experience when choosing mini dental implants to replace their missing teeth.
- If a patient does not have sufficient bone space to insert a regular dental implant, a mini implant will work instead. It will often fit into an area where an ordinary dental implant will not, as its overall diameter is smaller.
- They almost look like our natural teeth. They act and look like natural teeth.
- It preserves your facial appearance.
- It is a simple procedure, and you can leave the clinic within a day.
How Long Do The Mini Dental Implants Last?
There is a limit to every mini dental implant. It has a short lifetime of 6-9 years. But what about traditional implants? It has a higher lifespan of 15 years or much more.
Mini dental implants stabilize dentures and help older patients that may have lost teeth in the past. In older patients, mini dental implants are beneficial. Because traditional implants require bone grafting, and it will be an invasive procedure an older patient may not want to endure. So mini implants could be a better option for them.
Why does your mini dental implant fail?
It is essential to give equal importance to your lifestyle and cleaning routine to avoid mini dental implant failure. If you have any smoking habits, it may impact your blood circulation. This blood circulation plays a vital role in the healing process. Drinking and other life habits also affect your health and reduce the chances of implant success.
Conclusion
The dentists use mini implants to secure a removable denture in the dense lower jaw rather than hollow the upper jaw bone. Titanium is the metal used for designing mini dental implants. Its biocompatibility character makes it ideal for use in the human body naturally. A mini dental implant is a minimized version of a regular dental implant. Choosing this will be the right option for both younger and older people.
