Tooth loss is never just a cosmetic issue; it creates a ripple effect. Your jawbone stays strong when you give it healthy stress from chewing. Once you lose a tooth, your jawbone starts to deteriorate and weaken without this stimulation. Teeth implants can help keep the bone strong, as they act similarly to the root of a natural tooth. In many cases, by the time you’re ready to restore your smile, your jaw has already deteriorated too much to hold traditional dental implants. This is why many patients hear they’re not candidates for dental implants. Or they’re told they need to undergo bone grafting to become a candidate. But that’s not the full story.
Mini dental implants make it possible to restore smiles for patients, even when they’re not candidates for traditional implants. The unique, minimally invasive process overcomes barriers to the conventional implant procedure. And at the Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, we can complete a single-tooth restoration in one visit.
The Limitations of Traditional Teeth Implants
Traditional dental implants improve the appearance and function of your smile. But you have to go through a longer, more invasive process. After the traditional implant is screwed into place, you have to wait 3-6 months before you can add the artificial tooth. This is because you need to wait for the implant to fuse to the jawbone, a process called osseointegration.
Moreover, if you’re missing too much bone, traditional dental implants won’t have enough of a foundation to fuse to. The bone needs to be large enough for the traditional implant, which averages 5 mm in diameter, to screw into. At this point, patients usually hear that they need bone grafting to be a candidate for dental implants. This adds a procedure and a new expense to the dental implant process.
Another reason people might decide not to go through with the traditional implant process is that the surgical procedure is too invasive. To place these large implants, a dentist needs to create an incision in the gum, lifting the flap of the gum tissue to place the implant. This invasive process can feel overwhelming. And senior patients or patients with underlying conditions may not be able to tolerate the traditional implant procedure or may not be able to safely undergo the surgery.
But mini dental implants overcome these barriers, making it possible to restore a radiant, functional smile in a single visit.
Mini Dental Implants Make Restoration Possible for More People!
Conventional dental implants are a feasible option if you have a healthy jawbone to support them. But if you don’t, mini dental implants can make smile restoration a possibility!
Mini dental implants are less than 3 mm wide—about half the size of conventional implants. For patients with less jawbone or lower bone density, mini implants provide similar benefits to traditional implants while requiring less bone. Like conventional implants, these slim-diameter implants are made from biocompatible titanium alloy, a durable metal. However, we can use a much less invasive process to place them in your jaw.
Instead of making a large incision in the gum, we create a small hole and gently guide the implant into place. This creates less trauma to the gums and dramatically improves the recovery experience. For medically frail patients or anyone concerned about invasive oral surgery, mini implants are a great option.
Just like traditional implants, once we place the mini implant in your jaw, it acts like the root of a natural tooth. However, rather than waiting months for osseointegration, we can typically replace the tooth with a temporary crown, bridge, or implant denture immediately. You’ll be able to leave the office with a complete, radiant smile on the same day. Then, at your follow-up visit, you’ll receive your permanent restoration. With mini implants, the path to your new smile takes a matter of weeks, not months!
Get Teeth Implants in a Day at the Center for Cosmetic Dentistry
At the Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, we don’t just make teeth implants possible. We make it possible to complete a full restoration in a single day for individual tooth replacement. Our office has a Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics (CEREC) machine that can create single-tooth crowns in our office on the same day as the implant placement. This allows us to complete your smile, including permanent restoration, in one visit.
Ready To Complete Your Smile With Teeth Implants? Call Now!
As a less invasive alternative to traditional implants, mini dental implants make smiles a reality for more patients than ever. They can achieve similar functional and cosmetic results, making implant restoration possible for those who might not be good candidates for more complicated procedures.
At the Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, we can even create a permanent crown on the same day using our CEREC machine so that you can restore your smile in even less time.
If you’ve been told you’re not a candidate for teeth implants, or you’re looking for minimally invasive options, we can help! To take the next step, schedule a free consultation to learn how we can replace your missing tooth or teeth with innovative mini implants.
