What You Need to Know: Traditional vs. Mini Implants
When a dentist or someone else is talking about dental implants, most of the time they’re referring to traditional or conventional implant designs. But slimmer, shorter mini implants offer several advantages and uses when full-sized designs aren’t appropriate.
If you’re trying to decide between mini and traditional implants, here’s what you need to know:
Is Bigger Really Better?
Traditional implants are larger than mini ones; they’re about the same size or slightly larger than the roots of natural teeth. As long as there is adequate space and bone to set the implant into place, a traditional design is usually preferred.
Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Long duration's of missing teeth can allow the bone to shrink and teeth to shift in a way that limits room to place a standard implant.
That’s where mini dental implants come in. Mini implants are about 1/3 of the size of traditional implants, being slimmer and shorter overall. This smaller design makes mini implants easier to set into areas where spacing or bone loss is a factor.
The Number of Appointments Necessary
Mini implants offer an advantage when it comes to the number of treatment appointments needed. Because they’re smaller, most mini implants can be placed and restored on the same day, using only local anesthetic.
Traditional implant treatment generally calls for 2-3 appointments over the span of a few months or more. This added time provides for bone integration and healing, before the implant supports a fixed prosthesis.
Solutions for Every Smile
Depending on how many teeth you need to replace, both traditional implants and mini implants offer unique solutions that fit the situation at hand.
Traditional dentures can anchor a full arch prosthesis (such as a removable or permanent denture) as well as bridges and crowns. Their stability makes them a preferred choice for comprehensive treatment.
Mini dental implants are ideal for single tooth crowns or to stabilize removable overdentures.
Schedule your dental implant consultation at Concierge Dental Group today.