Mini Implants For Maximum Impact
Dental implants have been around for a while and are quickly becoming the go-to choice for dealing with missing teeth. It's not just about your appearance when you have a space where a tooth should be. Missing teeth can cause your other teeth to loosen, and permanent bone loss is possible. Mini implants are a new take on the implant idea, and this option could be perfect for you. To find out more, read on.
What Sets Implants Apart
Even before dental science offered evidence that missing teeth were unhealthy, those dealing with gaps in their smiles could have professed to the negative effects on self-esteem. That is why there are many age-old techniques for dealing with missing teeth. Dentures have been around for years, and bridges soon followed. The advent of implants, though, brought the biggest change ever. Implants are permanent and are undetectable from your natural teeth in size, shape, and color. You care for them in much the same way you do your natural teeth.
How Mini Implants Are Different
Traditional implants have to be performed in a multi-step process that can take several months. Each time a procedure is accomplished, the gums must fully heal before you can move onto the next step. Mini implants, however, may be performed in fewer visits. What really sets mini implants apart from traditional implants is the way it allows more people to enjoy implants. With traditional implants, the post is inserted into the jawbone where it fuses. If you don't have enough bone density in your jawbone, you might have to get bone grafts before you get implants. That is an entirely separate surgery, and it can take several months for the bone graft to heal. Mini implants eliminate that step.
Mini in Size
Rather than two pieces of metal with a faux tooth attached, a mini implant is just a single piece with an o-ring for the attachment of the false tooth on top. The post is a lot shorter so not as much bone is disturbed (or needed) to hold the implant. Since there are fewer required procedures, there tends to be less inflammation and a quicker healing process. Once you are ready for the implant, it can be performed in a single appointment.
Mini implants do have a downside — they may not be as long-lasting as traditional implants and you may need to take more care of them. This type of implant may be perfect for you. Speak to your cosmetic dentist to find out more.