(08) 8995 9530
Mini Dental Implants
Mini dental implants are between 1.8mm to 3mm in size and are suitable for long term use to replace missing teeth and to support loose fitting dentures. Mini dental implants are much less invasive to place than traditional dental implants, as they are smaller and narrower. Most placements can be accomplished without cutting the gums and therefore, no stitches are required during healing.
They are ideal in situations where traditional implants may not be feasible due to a lack of available bone to support the implant. Being much narrower, they can fit in areas of the mouth deficient in bone and therefore can provide solutions without the need for additional grafting. Due to the design of the implant thread, they are often stable enough to be used immediately in most cases and there isn’t as much of a need to wait for implant integration.
Mini implants can help improve the way you eat, talk and to your overall enjoyment of life. With minimal surgery and a faster recovery time, they are a more affordable alternative as well; typically costing about half as much as traditional implants.
For denture stabilisation, it is generally recommended that four implants are placed for a lower denture and six for a upper denture. Your existing dentures can be modified at the time of implant placement and after the procedure, you would typically be able to use your new and more stablised denture as soon as the anaesthetic wears off.
Mini implants are an option to consider when you need to replace a missing tooth or several missing teeth where the cost of treatment, time to complete treatment and a lack of available bone have been reasons preventing patients from seeking solutions with traditional implants.
Please call us to book in for a consultation to assess your suitability for mini implant treatment and to talk through the options, risks and a treatment plan tailored to your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Regular implants range from 3.5mm to 7mm in diameter. Mini implants are smaller in size, ranging from 1.8mm to 3mm. Being smaller, they can be used in areas that may not be suitable to place larger diameter implants such as cases where teeth have moved into the available space or there isn’t enough bone to support wider diameter implants.
Mini implants can be placed through the gums making the surgery much less invasive and typically less painful, no stitches and no cutting.
Mini implants are much more affordable than regular implants, generally the treatment will cost half the amount of regular implant treatment. As a general indication, a mini implant (including restoration with a crown) costs in the region of $2500 to $3000 compared to $4000-$5000 per implant using traditional systems.
Please call us to enquire as we have available payment plans to suit your needs.
If you’re suitable for traditional implants, then chances are, mini implants are also suitable for you. If you’re generally in good health and have sufficient bone to support the implant, then you would be a likely candidate.
Implant treatment and surgery however, is not suitable for everyone. In some cases, a regular implant may be a better treatment option for you. Please call us to arrange a consultation to discuss your treatment needs and we can answer any questions that you may have regarding implant treatment in general and also mini implants.
Mini implants are designed and approved for long term use and in most cases they last for long periods of time. Many factors influence implant longevity including smoking status, oral hygiene, your general health and the quality and density of bone available.
Studies have shown that they are comparative in terms of success rates to traditional implants, in orders of magnitude of 95% or higher over a ten year period. As with all dental work, with proper cleanliness, there is no reason why the treatment if properly planned and executed shouldn’t last your lifetime.
Each patient is different on how they react to the procedure and some patients may be more anxious than others. The procedure itself is generally painless and anaesthetic can be limited to only the gums around the implant site.
We do have options for happy gas, IV sedation and general anaesthetics if you require them, however most patients report very little discomfort and most are able to use their implants the very same day. We will usually prescribe some pain medications and antibiotics as part of our post-surgery care protocol, however, the majority of patients will be able to return to work and take part in their usual activities the next day.
Mini Dental Implants have been in use since the mid 1980’s, primarily as temporary implants to anchor braces in orthodontics and to temporise teeth whilst awaiting ‘normal’ sized implants to integrate with bone in implant cases.
More recently, they have been approved as a permanent solution to replace missing teeth and to stabilise dentures and they are gaining wider acceptance in the US, Europe and Asia as an alternative to traditional implant treatment. Over the last 10 years, more long term studies have been published to support their longevity, however, currently there doesn’t yet exist the same body of literature and long term studies that are available to support traditional implants.
In patients who have a heavy bite or grind their teeth at night for example, the smaller diameter implant may be more susceptible to fracture. In the back teeth where forces are higher, it may be better to place a larger diameter, more traditional implant. Hence, we do not recommend them in all situations where implant treatment is sought.
They are useful, however, where traditional implants are not possible, and they do play an important role in the range of treatment options that are available to patients.
As always, a full examination, x-rays and treatment planning as well as proper informed consent is recommended prior to committing to treatment. Call us today to enquire about a consultation to discuss these and other important considerations of your treatment needs