A Mini-implant consists of a small titanium/alloy implant that acts like the root of a tooth. The round head of the implant fits into an o-ring that is placed in dentures or partials. When the denture is seated on the implant it rests gently on the patients gums. The Mini-implant provides a secure placement for your dentures so they do not slip like conventional dentures. Mini-implants are safe alternative to conventional dentures.
Mini’s are small, titanium-alloy implants about 1.8 mm in diameter. Regular implants are 3.25 – 6.0 mm in diameter. They had been developed as temporary implants and over years proved themselves to be much more durable. They are mainly used to anchor lower denture and prevent it from moving, and work about same as “snap-in dentures.”
BENEFITS OF MINI-IMPLANTS
- If cost is a factor, Mini-implants are an excellent alternative to conventional implants. They cost about half as much as traditional implants.
- Mini-implants provide better chewing force then conventional dentures, but less then your natural teeth.
- The entire process takes just an hour or two. The individual can walk into the office in the morning and have a full group of teeth the same day.
- It is a solution for patients that have significant bone loss that restrict them from being candidate for full implants.
- Old dentures can be retrofitted to the implants.
DISADVANTAGES OF MINI-IMPLANTS
- Although they are a great alternative to traditional dentures, mini-implants may not last as long as conventional implants.
- Mini-implants cannot change the tightness or holding power of the denture, as can conventional implants.
- A snap-down denture is still a denture, meaning it still rests upon the gums.
- Mini-implants are mostly used on the lower arch. The upper arch works less predictably.
- Metal fatigue is a risk with mini-implants because of their size, making it possible they will malfunction or break.