Mini Dental Implants
St. Louis, Missouri
Dental implants have been widely used since 1999 as an FDA approved permanent replacement for lost teeth. Preferred over dentures, dental implants are basically small screws that are inserted into the jawbone, replacing the tooth root. The dental appliance, known as an abutment, is then affixed to the post for a strong, permanent new tooth.
In many cases, the amount of bone available for affixing a root form dental implant is inadequate. The recent development of mini dental implants is answering this need. Depending on your specific needs and the available bone mass in your jaw, St. Louis, Missouri cosmetic dentist Dr. Quigless may decide to use a mini dental implant.
Dental Implant Types
There are different types of dental implants that may be used for tooth replacement.
- Root form
- Plate form
- Subperiosteal
The most popular type is the root form, which includes the min dental implants. Traditionally, the diameter of the screw was as large as 3.65 mm, requiring a lot of bone mass in order to place it properly. The mini dental implant is much smaller, approximately 1.8 to 2.9 mm in diameter, greatly reducing the amount of bone structure required.
Once implanted, the root form implants integrate with the bone in a process called osseointegration. This gives you a secure footing to which the abutment can be attached.
Indications for a Mini Dental Implant
Before mini implants arrived on the market, people with inadequate amounts of bone would need to get a bone graft first, or forego the treatment altogether.
There are several reasons for inadequate bone structure.
- Resorption, which is the loss of bone mass that results in areas with missing teeth.
- Genetic make up.
- Trauma
- Disease
Now, with mini dental implants available, this painful and expensive bone graft procedure is no longer required.
Contra-Indications for Mini Dental Implants
By minimizing the need for substantial bone loss, there are very few contra-indications for a mini dental implant. General medical conditions that mean you might not be a good candidate for this procedure include:
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Radioactive cancer treatment of the jaw
- Substance abuse
- Young people whose bones are still growing
Dental Implant Procedure
Unlike other implants, mini dental implants can be loaded right away, meaning that the tooth part is applied to the root form in one visit. The mini implant is frequently applied without additional preparation of the gum. The entire procedure takes approximately 90 minutes.
Tooth loss can be embarrassing and cause difficulties with eating and talking. Dentures are not the only option to replacing missing teeth. To find out more about mini dental implants, please contact St. Louis implant dentistry expert, Dr. Quigless to schedule an initial consultation today.
(314) 244-3751
Contact Us
8083 Manchester Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63144
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