Mini Dental Implants
If you have lost all of your teeth on your upper jaw, lower jaw, or both, mini dental implants are one of the more affordable options you have for replacing your teeth and restoring your smile. Unlike regular dental implants where there is one implant for each new tooth, mini dental implants provide a foundation for many teeth to be placed at once.
Not everyone who has lost their teeth is eligible for regular dental implants. That’s because tooth loss (and dental diseases like periodontitis) leads to bone loss in your jaw. If too much of the bone in your jaw has dissolved away over time, there may not be enough bone structure left to anchor a full sized implant. However, because mini dental implants are smaller and fewer of them are needed, even people with bone loss are sometimes good candidates for mini dental implants.
What Are Mini Dental Implants?
Mini Dental Implants Are More Affordable
Mini dental implants can be more affordable than regular implants because fewer implants are needed. Two, four, or six mini implants is often all you need to secure dentures. Another added cost-saving factor is the possibility of retrofitting your existing dentures to clip onto mini dental implants. If you’re already a denture wearer and are happy with your existing dentures or want to save money, it’s often possible to add snaps to your existing dentures so you can keep wearing them with your new dental implants. Of course, if you want to upgrade or redo the look of your teeth, we can create new custom dentures to go with your new mini dental implants.
Mini Dental Implants Can Help Stop or Prevent Bone Loss
One of the reasons you lose bone structure when you lose your teeth is because of the lack of sensation from biting and chewing. The roots of your teeth naturally transfer the force of your bite into your jawbone, thus stimulating bone to renew and regenerate itself continuously. When you lose teeth or have them removed, your jawbone no longer gets the signal to regenerate, even if you chew with dentures. With mini dental implants, the force of your bite can travel through your false teeth, into the implants, and then into the bone. This can stimulate your bone and prevent future bone loss.
Talk to us at your next appointment about whether mini dental implants are a fitting restorative solution for you.