Fitting of Mini-Dental Implants


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Mini-dental implants offer a number of unique and distinctive advantages over their larger counterparts. Typically ranging in diameter from about 1.9mm to 2.9mm, these implants are not only smaller than other implants, but are cheaper and easier to apply.

The fitting of implants is always the subject of some concern because of the invasive nature of the procedure. Standard implants require the insertion of the titanium fitting through an incision in the gum and into a drilled socket in the jawbone. Because this is classed as an extensive surgical procedure, there are a number of medical conditions which counter-indicate the treatment. Fortunately for people who aren’t advised to make use of the dental implant treatment, mini-dental implants are a viable alternative which can be applied safely.


Fitting mini-dental implants

One of the main differences between fitting mini- and normal dental implants is the fact that the former requires a flapless procedure. This means that the incision into the gum necessary for the application of standard dental implants is unnecessary. This incision creates a ‘flap’ of gum tissue, which is where the flapless procedure gets its name from.

Instead a mini-dental implant is inserted directly into a socket drilled into the jaw beneath. This is made possible by the smaller diameter of mini-implants, and makes the surgery a less invasive procedure that only requires a local anaesthetic. As many medical conditions that would make a more extensive procedure potentially dangerous create issues when stronger anaesthetics are used, the simplicity of the mini-implant procedure is an excellent means by which implants can be supplied to populations with other illnesses.

Despite its relative simplicity, the mini-implant procedure still offers the same stability and strength that a standard implant would. The implant is fully immersed into the jawbone and left to fuse, while a specially designed head will be left above the gum for attachment to artificial teeth. Another advantage to this method of fixing mini-implants is the fact that a temporary set of prosthetic teeth can be fitted to the implants after the procedure. Unfortunately standard dental implants require a lengthy healing period during which nothing can be fitted to the implants in question. There are exceptions to this rule, and some standard implants can be fitted with a temporary prosthetic on the same day, but unfortunately this is the exception rather than the rule.

Mini-implants offer a number of benefits over their larger counterparts, and many of these derive from the nature of the fixing procedure.

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